



k 3rA 
ourse 






(bpigMi 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT 



For the Societas ( Rosicruciana in S^±r, 
Nihil Obstat 



Co n ^ 



Praemonstrator 




The Societas Rosicruciana in America {Society of Rosicrucians, 7/i.) 
does not seek members. 

Men and Women of Desire, however, who are in Search of More 
Light, may Find a Way by addressing the 

Secretary-General, S. \R. '.I. \A.\ 
Care of Mr. S. B. Robertson 
45 John St., New York City 




A Brief Course 
in Mediumship 







By 

tLKHEI f.r. 



ST 



c, o°-x° 






Being a Series of In- 
structions given to 
Neophytes of Metro- 
politan College, S . \ 
R. './. \A. \ and now 
done in t o print by 
permission of the 
Brotherhood. 










COPYRIGHTED 1916, BY THE MACOY PUBLISHING 

and MASONIC SUPPLY Co. . . New York City 



Anno MCMXV. 




TP7 



FO<RE WORD 

This Course of Study in Mediumship, while Thoroty 
Scientific in Character, is not by any means exhaustive 
in its treatment of the subject. 

It is a Simple, Concise and Logical Classification 
and Explanation of the Various Phases of so-called 
Phenomena, and points out the manner by which the 
Reader can best Develop his or her own inherent 
Psychic Powers. 






till 



DEC ! 8 1916 



)CI.A446850 



A Brief Course 

IN MEDIUMSHIP 

ACCORDING TO THE ROSICRUCIAN PHILOSOPHY 

CHAPTER ONE 

PSYCHOMETRY. 

INTERCOMMUNICATION between 
the physical and spiritual worlds is not 
taught as a part of the Rosicrucian Art. 
It is assumed as a prerequisite for fel- 
lowship in the Order. Nevertheless, 
as not every one who applies for such 
membership happens to be a developed psychic, it is the 
purpose of the following pages to give an idea of the 
status of so-called mediumship from the Rosicrucian 
standpoint. 

Mediumship, as a means of livelihood is positively dis- 
countenanced by the Society. Carried to its highest de- 
velopment, and utilized as the means of gaining spiritual 
knowledge and information it is esteemed, and every 
frater is expected to develop some phase which may be 
utilized in the furtherance of the work of the Fraternity. 
Rosicrucians distinguish between two kinds of me- 
diumship, CONSCIOUS or VOLUNTARY, and UN- 
CONSCIOUS or INVOLUNTARY. 




4 A BRIEF COURSE IN 

The first form of mediumship is ACTIVE, the second 
form PASSIVE. 

Conscious mediumship is the result of a development 
which consists in cultivating a higher molecular and 
atomic vibration and the training of the soul powers 
to a much higher state of efficiency than that to which 
one is ordinarily accustomed. 

Unconscious mediumship applies to the phenomena re- 
sultant upon a degree of hypersensitivity which may 
have been one's latent property from birth, or acquired 
at a later date. This form of mediumship always remains 
passive, and affords only a limited scope of observation 
to its possessor, a scope which may be likened to the 
limited view one obtains when looking out between the 
shutters of a blind. 

Conscious mediumship permits the psychic to function 
where, when, and to whatsoever extent he will, the ob- 
servation gained being valuable according to the powers 
of accurate description possest by the psychic. 

Mediumship is comprehended under two broad divi- 



PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL 

Under Physical mediumship we include 

Telekinesis — moving of solid objects, with or with- 
out contact. 

Concussion — so-called rappings, which may be on 
tables, walls, furniture, or even the 
papers held in one's hand. 

Visualization — or so-called materialization. Materi- 
alization in its popularly accepted def- 



MEDIUMSHIP 



inition has never been demonstrated 
satisfactorily and does not coincide 
with any known laws of Nature in 
the realm of Matter. 
Unclassified — such as the handling of red-hot coals, 

lamp chimneys, etc. 
Levitation — or the suspension of animate or in- 
animate objects. 
Under Physical and Spiritual mediumship we include 
Magnetic Healing in its various forms. 
All these classifications are dependent upon the use of 
the medium's physical substance in connection with 
OD FORCE for their manifestations. 
Under- Spiritual Mediumship we include 

Clairvoyance — or clear seeing, either close at hand 
or at remote distances, purely by men- 
tal effort, the exercise of the devel- 
oped spiritual powers of one's higher 
vehicles, or by the assistance of 
CRYSTALLOMANCY, HYPNOTISM OR SOM- 
NAMBULISM. Clairvoyance may apply equally to 
events past, present or future, when one considers that 
beyond the physical planes of being the first and last 
of those states do not exist, all constituting the ever 
present NOW. 

When applied to so-called future events, such clair- 
voyance is said to be an example of PRESCIENCE. 

Clairvoyance applies not only to states and conditions 
on the physical and spiritual planes, — it also extends to 
the recognition of discarnate intelligences — so-called 



6 A BRIEF COURSE IN 

spirits — who are close enuf to the physical plane to come 
partially in rapport with the conditions peculiar to that 
plane. 

CLAIRAUDIENCE — or clear hearing, is a word like 
clairvoyance, adapted from the 
French. 

Its phases and properties are analogous to those of 
Clairvoyance, except that they apply to the phenomena of 
audition, and while they may bring to the psychic the 
sensation of sounds of a material nature, these properties 
usually manifest in the form of communications purport- 
ing to come from discarnate intelligences. 

It should be noted, however, that the medium positively 
does not hear spirits, Sound, as we understand it in 
physical science, is inoperative on spiritual planes. Music 
for instance is FELT and SEEN thru a sensation of 
vibration which is far more sensuous to the spirit than to 
our inhibited states of audition on the physical plane. 

There is no audible speech in the spiritual world. Com- 
munication is from Mind to Mind, by the act of Will. 
One's thots are just as safe from perception and under 
one's command as tho they were expresst only by the 
spoken word, but they go forth, and are received solely 
by act of Will. 

TRANCE — is developed both as Conscious 

and Unconscious states. 

In either state, the medium surrenders the voluntary 
control of his or her own physical organism to that of 
the operating intelligence, sometimes known as the "Con- 
trol" solely because that particular intelligence has suc- 
ceeded in coming sufficiently into rapport with the me- 
dium to be able to control and operate the medium's 
physical organism. 



MED IU M SH IP 



In Conscious trance, the medium permits this use of 
his or her organism, without however surrendering the 
individual consciousness. 

In Unconscious trance, the medium enters a state of 
absolute coma, and while in this condition the physical 
organism is absolutely under the domination and control 
of the operating intelligence, under conditions and cir- 
cumstances somewhat analogous to the relations between 
hypnotist and subject on the physical plane. 

Conscious trance is the highest form of mediumistic 
development altho not so desirable from the phenomenal 
standpoint, inasmuch as the medium is always open to 
the suspicion of co-operation with the purported intelli- 
gences. 

Closely allied to the state of Conscious Trance is 
that of 

INSPIRATION — A psychic state in which the medium 
while perfectly conscious, in full pos- 
session of and able to control and direct all of his own 
faculties and functions, receives directly from the World 
of Thought such vibrations as put him directly in rapport 
with the avenues of knowledge required by the subject 
immediately at hand. 

As a result of development extended beyond the trance 
and Inspiratory states one can accomplish what is known 
as going 

INTO THE SILENCE.— In this state, the Ego, accom- 
panied by the Astral envelope 
can function on other planes of being, either in associa- 
tion with purely discarnate intelligences or visualizing 
itself to friends on the physical plane for purposes of 
identification, and, on returning to the physical body, 
resumes its normal functions, retaining, however, a com- 



8 A BRIEF COURSE IN 

plete memory and knowledge of its astral journey. Such 
visualizations to friends are sometimes called "apparitions 
of the living." 

This concludes the category of mediumistic classifica- 
tions. The phenomena of Thought Transference, Mental 
Suggestion, Therapy, Somnambulism, Telepathy, etc., 
are purely within the domain of psychology and while 
they may simulate mediumship under some circumstances 
they do not properly come within its scope of activity. 

There is one psychic state, however, which has not 
been mentioned, which acts as a Borderland to Medium- 
ship; and stands as it were between Mediumship or 
Seership and Modern Psychology, — 

PSYCHOMETRY 

Properly speaking, psychometry pure and simple is 
not a branch of spiritual science, being alone due to a 
higher development of the physical faculties, but as it 
often becomes closely allied with clairaudience and clair- 
voyance, it comes within the scope of our investigation. 

It was first practised under the name of DIVINATION 
long before Dr. J. R. Buchanan coined the present name, 
in 1842 ; seeking by a misnomer to attach dignity to the 
science. 

The term Psychometry is derived from two Greek 
words — "Psyche" (the soul) and "Metron" (a measure). 
It purports to be a soul-measurement, but apart from the 
aid of clairvoyance and clairaudience it depends for its 
manifestation solely upon the higher development of our 
ultimate sense-perception. 



MEDIUMSHIP 



Mediumistic and Psychometric delineations are two 
entirely separate, distinct and dissimilar methods, altho 
they may co-operate and associate at any given time. 

Mrs. M. E. F. Denton, one of the cleverest psychome- 
trists the world has ever seen, says, "I do not deny that 
the same person may be both a medium and a psychome- 
ter, just as the same person may be both a talker and a 
thinker; but talking is not thinking, nor is mediumship 
psychometry." 

The medium is dependent for the information he 
receives as a medium, upon activities and intelligences 
not only belonging to himself, but to others. 

Hence the necessity for passivity — that the will of the 
medium may not intercept, nor his opinion color the com- 
munications given thru him. 

The Psychometer, on the contrary, for any infor- 
mation he may be able to gain, must depend wholly 
upon his own powers of recognition, of comprehension, 
of discrimination — largely upon his own judgment — as 
to whether he is mixing scenes, characters, and conditions, 
or holding them severally distinct and true to their own 
belongings (in a word, upon his own intelligence in deal- 
ing with the materials at his disposal). 

Hence, as a psychometer, it is impossible for him to be 
a passive recipient of information from an outside intel- 
ligence. And hence, also, the necessity for him to be 
well informed, for his being careful to examine, to com- 
pare, to weigh, measure and select discreetly; the neces- 
sity for him to be critical and capable, in order to render 
his efforts of any value to himself or others. 



10 A B RI E F C OU RS E I N 

Psychometry, in its unrestricted significance, "is that 
science which treats of the nature and functions of those 
innate human faculties by the intelligent exercise of which 
we may, independent of any and all external sources of 
information, gain a conscious knowledge of facts and 
conditions previously unknown to us." Hence, by Psy- 
chometry, certain individuals are enabled to successfully 
locate underground waters, veins of minerals, deposits 
of oil, hidden or lost treasures, to tell the component 
elements of compound substances (ores and the like), to 
diagnose diseases, to indicate means for their removal, 
to read character, to indicate defeat or success in enter- 
prises, and even to foretell events. 

All of these actuate on the physical plane, and are in 
accord with well-known laws ; therefore, tho they come 
within the scope of spiritual discernment, they can hardly 
be classed among demonstrations of spirit-entity, or of 
the Continuity of Life, which is the ultimate mission of 
mediumship. 

But there is another and higher form of Psychometry, 
involving the spiritual intuition, exercising clairvoyance 
and clairaudience, and requiring a knowledge of the laws 
governing auras and vibrations, with power to discern 
and interpret symbols spiritually presented. This neces- 
sarily falls within the realms of spiritual investigation. 

Without dwelling here upon the system of auras, etc., 
which will be treated in extenso later, we will indicate 
some of the methods of spiritual psychometry. 



MEDIUMSHIP U 

It must be insisted upon that the medium or psychome- 
ter must be in a passive and recipient state, since all the 
phenomena coming under this head actuate on the spirit- 
ual plane, involving the keenest exercise of the psychic 
senses. 

Suppose a letter, or article of wear be submitted for 
psychometric reading, and an influence is perceived, not 
previously noticed. This is an indication that the reader 
is coming en rapport with the personal magnetism of the 
writer of the letter or the owner of the article, which 
magnetism was communicated when the letter was origi- 
nally written, or the article was worn. 

From this, the moral or physical condition, often both, 
of the original owner can be described. 

Thus, a sense of animation would indicate purity or 
health, while a sense of lassitude, or loss of power, weak- 
ness, and depression would indicate that the original 
owner was depleted magnetically by being ill or suffering 
pain, or was in danger of being so. 

A sense of elation coming in here would indicate a 
hopeful issue, and an early release from the oppressing 
trouble. 

If the psychometrist is brot in communication with 
a spirit entity, the character or quality of that spirit 
may be judged by the influence or sensation which that 
spirit entity casts over the psychometrist, even tho the 
spirit form be not clairvoyantly discerned. 

In this way, earth-bound, mocking or lying messages 
are frequently detected by arousing a sense of provocation 
and indignation in the mind of the psychometrist. 



12 A BRIEF CPU RS E IN 

Psychometry thus reveals the true inwardness of indi- 
viduals, and were detectives to cultivate or employ this 
power, and persons of criminal tendencies to be convinced 
of it, psychometry would prove a more, efficacious pre- 
ventive of crime than the present fear of the Law exerts. 

Would not many a one hesitate to commit a crime 
could it be proven to him that the objects surrounding 
him would tell the tale ? 

Besides this, psychometry reveals the history of inani- 
mate objects to the sensitive. By holding such objects 
in his hand and giving close attention to the same, a 
consciousness arises similar to inspiration, and tells a 
story foreign to one's previous knowledge, and from this 
the history of the object can be gleaned. 

Some persons obtain clairvoyant glimpses or visions 
in connection with these impressions which afford great 
aid in the comprehension of the latter, and prove ex- 
tremely interesting to the psychometer. 

Others seem to hear voices, or have their tastes appar- 
ently affected, thus having other aids to their better un- 
derstanding of the impressions received. 

In diagnosing disease, the latter is extremely helpful, 
as it often leads to the direct cause of the ailment, or 
points thitherward. 

Some diagnosticians obtain a taste of the food or medi- 
cine needed in such cases and are guided by that alone. 
But each one must use his or her own judgment in the 
special features of psychometric development, and learn 
by experience. 



MEDIUMSHIP 13 

In developing the power of psychometry, the method 
given herewith may be followed. Have a friend present 
to you for reading, an object which you have never seen, 
and from which you cannot possibly gain any personal 
information of a leading nature. Articles of jewelry, or 
personal property of your friends, relatives or acquaint- 
ances may be used. Flowers always are effective, as they 
seem to convey the very thots of the giver or possessor. 
Letters also are good. 

On receiving the article, either hold it firmly in the 
hand or pressed to the forehead. Experience will show 
which will give the best result in any given case. After 
making sure that your mind is clear from all external 
impressions relating to other matters, and that the full 
attention is concentrated upon the object in hand, then 
state the very first impression that comes to you. One 
is apt to say, "I don't feel anything in particular." 

This is natural, but not true. You do gain a distinct 
impression, but either because of your undeveloped state, 
or because you are expecting some phenomenal mental 
condition, you do not perceive it. 

Never mind how trivial or foolish the impression or 
thot conveyed may seem to you, enunciate it at once. 
Many fine results have come from an apparently foolish 
impression at the start. 

As you hold the object in your hand, note whether a 
faint impression of heat or cold ensues ; whether a pro- 
nounced nervousness, faintness or, on the other hand, 
an increased vitality is noted. Such conditions are usually 



14 A BRIEF CPU RSE IN 

the precursors of an approach to the real owner's person- 
ality, and will be found to indicate his state of health. 

Correspondingly, mental states perceived while holding 
the object will afford you an entrance into the owner's 
mental states and ultimately to his character. 

The perception of the mental state of the owner reveals 
whether he is worried about material affairs, whether he 
is in trouble, or again, whether he is subject to some 
special joy or exaltation. 

Study your impressions and emotions carefully while 
holding the object, and learn to weigh each, subjecting 
it to rigid examination, analysis and critical judgment. 
Fifteen minutes' practice each day will in a short time 
enable you to do creditable work in the art of psychome- 
try. 

Every human being possesses the power to psychom- 
etrize to a greater or lesser extent. 

It may even be exerted unconsciously, as for instance, 
when we receive a gift that is apparently desirable but 
gives us a distinctly unpleasant impression. Or again, 
when we shake hands with a person, a pleasurable or 
unpleasurable impression is received, or in the case of an 
old acquaintance we often find ourselves obsessed by his 
mood when coming into contact with him. 

In these and numberless other instances, we may by 
careful observation note the activity of psychometric in- 
fluences in every-day life. 

The following experiment, recorded in the Progressive 
Thinker, May 8, 1909, was made under the writer's per- 
sonal observation and will be interesting to students in 
this phase of psychic development: 



MEDIUMSHIP 15 

Remarkable Psychometric Test, Which Indicates That 
Psychometry May be an Important Aid to Science, and 
Which Was Given by Mrs. Margaret Gaule Reidinger. 

At an informal gathering held April 1 at the home of 
the writer, two notable tests were developed through the 
mediumship of Margaret Gaule Reidinger, the New York 
psychic. 

As will be seen from the following description, the 
objects given her, from which she read were of such a 
nature as to render it practically impossible for the me- 
dium to have described them, even had she been deeply 
versed in geological science. 

Without previous intimation, in the course of an ordi- 
nary conversation in no wise relating to psychic phenom- 
ena, a small grayish white stone was suddenly placed in 
the medium's hand, with a request to see what she could 
get from it. The resultant reading which was given in 
the presence of several witnesses, was as follows : 

"This object is old — oh, so old, it takes me back many, 
many years. It goes long before Egypt — back, back, 
until it seems as if there were no human being on the 
earth at all. It brings a most peculiar sensation with it, 
as of a great mass of vapor and steam. Lots of water, 
in fact it seems as if there was nothing but water almost 
everywhere. There doesn't seem to be any life around 
this, and yet this object has something to do with life as 
though it had once been alive, although it hardly seems 
possible. If there was any life at that time this must 
have been one of the very earliest forms of it, and yet it 
seems to be a stone. There must have been many changes 
in the earth itself since this object was first formed." 

Without comment and immediately following this read- 
ing, another piece of totally dissimilar stone was handed 
her and the request repeated. This brought forth the 
following : 



16 A BRI E F C OU RS E IN 

"This is an entirely different object from the other one. 
It is old, but not nearly so old as the first object, and 
while it is different in color, it is also very different in its 
nature. This takes me away from here, oh, so far, and 
with it comes a sense of terrific motion. This has been 
heated, very hot, indeed ; in fact, melted ; I see flames 
all about until it seems as though they must be flames 
I should say almost of hell fire. Before this was hot it 
came from where there was life. I see human beings — 
and yet they are not like human beings as we know them. 
They seem to have large heads and little bodies, and do 
not seem to have much hair. There are what appear to 
be buildings around but not like ours and they act differ- 
ently from us. They are like us, and yet not like us. 
Then everything seems to grow dark, and then all flame, 
and this object comes away from there and grows hotter 
and hotter itself. It has had something to do with a dead 
man, seems as if it had killed the man, but this man 
seems to have been one like ourselves" — 

At this point a slight commotion in our own group 
broke the reading and Mrs. Gaule did not resume. 

The first object handed her was a fossil specimen of 
Trilobite (Calymene Niagarensis-Hall), Niagara Group, 
from Grafton, 111. This is one of the earliest forms of 
Crustacean life upon the earth, dating back to the Upper 
Silurean Era, in the Onondaga period, and formed one of 
the most remarkable and accurate tests which it has ever 
been the fortune of the writer to hear. 

The second object, as many may have surmised, was a 
specimen chipped from a large meteorite which on com- 
ing into contact with this earth's surface, caused the 
death of a laborer. In many respects this test was even 
more remarkable than the preceding. First from the 
cosmic conditions attaching to the object, then the direct 
positive allusion to advanced conditions of stellar life. 



MEDIVMSHIP 17 

It has become a popular pastime among some psychics 
to make nightly trips to Mars or some other convenient 
planet at excursion rates cheerfully paid by the credulous 
attendants at parlor seances, but in the present instance 
the positive assertion made simply from the reading of 
an unknown object, uninfluenced by prior suggestion or 
even allusion to the subject of psychism in the remotest 
manner, seems to offer these articles for reading. This, 
unless we take into consideration the writer's own mind, 
excludes any explanation by the telepathic hypothesis, and 
with that very possibility in mind the writer purposely 
kept his mind from the subject as much as possible and 
was surprised to note that the reading in no wise touched 
upon any of the ideas in general with which he was ac- 
customed to associate the objects. 

The last thought which these readings bring out is of a 
still more serious nature. They demonstrate the inde- 
structibility of the psychometric aura attaching to every 
object, organic and inorganic, in the Universe. Accept- 
ing this postulate, what avenue to a wider and deeper 
knowledge of the hidden things of this and even other 
worlds might be opened to us would science accept the 
proffered assistance of psychism and hand-in-hand along 
the pathways of scientific investigation and exploration 
seek out those things which are veiled from our mortal 
vision. Science has made commendable progress along 
many lines, but in others it has exhibited a most remark- 
able tendency to retard rather than assist in the develop- 
ment of new lines of thought where old established 
theories are threatened. The Copernican Theory was a 
notable instance of this, and it is only in our own day 
that the subject of hypnotism and suggestions has re- 
ceived a tardy recognition from the savants. At the 
present time psychism is engaged in its battle for the 



18 A BRIEF CPU RS E IN 

acknowledgment of men of science as a legitimate field 
of investigation, yet it has forced them to take cognizance 
of many of its basic truths. 

This is the first time to the writer's knowledge that 
any similar articles have been submitted to psychometric 
tests and the success achieved by Mrs. Gaule has led to the 
belief that with the cultivation of the proper conditions a 
reliable psychic may be trained to render invaluable aid 
to science in its manifold investigations. 





MEDIUMSHIP 19 



CHAPTER TWO 
CLAIRVOYANCE AND CLAIRAUDIENCE. 

CLAIRVOYANCE and clairaudience, or 
| clear seeing and clear hearing, are best 
considered collectively, inasmuch as 
I either phase of psychic development is 
seldom found without being accom- 
panied by its corollary to a greater or 
lesser degree. As it has been aptly put by a well-known 
psychic, "Many times one hears sights and sees sounds." 
It must be understood, however, that the idea of clair- 
voyance and clairaudience as taught and utilized by the 
Brotherhood, differs considerably from the common in- 
terpretation put upon these phases of psychic develop- 
ment by those whose only acquaintance with either of 
them is thru the usual manifestations of so-called spirit- 
ualistic phenomena. 

A clairvoyance and clairaudience which may be a nat- 
ural gift, or which may be the result of so-called "devel- 
opment" circles, when used solely for materialistic pur- 
poses as the means of a livelihood, is totally foreign to 
the ideals and purposes of the Brotherhood. It may 
indeed furnish convincing proof to those well-intentioned 
persons who are interested in occultism merely to the 
extent of securing evidence of the Continuity of Life 
and of conscious existence beyond the grave, or again 
as the evidence of the 'operation of force directed by 



20 A B RI E F C OU RS E I N 

intelligence actuating under assumedly supernormal con- 
ditions, but in neither case are such phenomena the de- 
sideratum of the Brotherhood. 

The development of power to produce psychic phenom- 
ena under any circumstances merely for purposes of 
display; the satisfaction of the curious or skeptical, or 
the information of those who are unwilling to take the 
trouble to search for themselves, is far from being en- 
couraged among the fraters and sorors Rosse Crucis. As 
a matter of fact, no one so affiliated could legitimately 
become a party to any such exhibition or demonstration. 

Aside from these preliminary remarks, the importance 
of the cultivation of clairvoyance and clairaudience under 
proper guidance, cannot be too strongly emphasized and 
urged upon those entering upon the PATH. To such it 
will be absolutely necessary in order to perceive the true 
illumination which is one of their ultimate goals. 

Clairvoyance and clairaudience are operative upon both 
physical and spiritual planes of being, alike. They rnay 
apply to conditions appertaining purely to the affairs of 
daily life, scenes and incidents either remote or close at 
hand, — to personalities living, and closely associated with 
us, or at great distances and whom we may not have seen 
for long periods of time ; of whom we may even have 
lost all knowledge. 

Seeing such persons clairvoyantly, or hearing them, 
does not come under the head of the "Apparitions of the 
Living" as mentioned in the sub-divisions of the previous 
lesson. That phenomenon is so designated only when wit- 
nessed by more than one person without any of the 
usually associated elements of phenomena entering into 
the existing conditions. 

Clairvoyance and clairaudience operating upon the 
physical plane may not only be the result of individual 
development; they may also be the result of hypnotic 



MEDIUMSHIP 21 

influence carried thru the stages of somnambulism. The 
works of Alexandre Dumas are in several instances 
based upon this truth, which first became known to mod- 
ern times shortly after the experiments of Mesmer and 
his tub, among the ladies of the French court. In our 
own immediate times, the experiments of Dr. Quackenbos 
and his associates have demonstrated the value and truth 
of hypnotic clairvoyance to a degree of absolute certainty, 
— the subject describing accurately the actions of people 
unknown to her, in apartments variously located thruout 
the city, reading sealed objects and books, and giving 
various numerical combinations. This will be more thor- 
oly treated of in a later discussion of the subject of 
Hypnotism proper. It is also permissible to state here 
that much of the phenomena of so-called mind or sight 
reading' upon the stage, aside from rank charlatanism, is 
produced by first hypnotising the subject on the stage. 
The subject thereafter acts in rapport with the operator 
who mingles freely with the audience. It is not even 
necessary that the operator read the bills, coins, letters, 
etc., offered him for tests. Merely that he holds them in 
his hand or even touches them is sufficient to put that 
object thru him in rapport with the hypnotised subject 
on the platform or stage. This is clairvoyance on the 
physical plane, and of the most materialistic nature. 

The desirability of stating the above instances here is 
that it shows plainly that the cultivation of ordinary 
clairvoyance and clairaudience is not necessarily con- 
tingent upon the cultivation or possession of essentially 
spiritual attributes. Occultists well know the existence 
of both Black and White Magic, and to the first class 
belong the phenomena previously mentioned. And it 
may be also whispered here that asceticism, monasticism, 
and the cultivation of Cromwellian moods is just as apt 
to result in the production of phenomena attributable to 



22 A BRIEF CPU RS E IN 

Black Magic as to White, for the influences most com- 
monly en rapport with such moods and states of mind 
are more apt to be allied with the former than with the 
latter. 

Clairvoyance on the physical plane may be applied to 
the geological strata of the earth, and veins of mineral 
and metal deposits have sometimes been discovered by 
this means. When attempting to use this power in the 
higher realms of Matter such as the solution of chemical 
processes, etc., it can be done successfully only when 
directed by high spiritual attainments, for, as is well 
known to occultists, the true home of Matter is not the 
visible physical world, but the invisible, spiritual plane of 
being. When dealing with molecules, atoms, elektrons 
and eons, we have passed beyond the pale of the physical 
and are well on our way into purely spiritual regions. 

Spiritual clairvoyance in its lower phases actuates 
chiefly in the description and discernment of spiritual 
beings close to the earth plane and who have experienced, 
more or less recently, an earth life. It may be applied 
to the accurate description of the conditions under which 
such entities may manifest for purposes of identification 
either to the medium alone, or to the satisfaction of the 
one for whom the medium is "sitting." These entities 
are functioning for the time being in the Etheric planes 
and the Desire World, usually known collectively as the 
Astral Plane. 

It must be realized at this point, that clairvoyance thus 
applied furnishes no proof of "IMMORTALITY" in 
the acceptance of a condition of endless duration. It 
does tend to prove the existence of conscious func- 
tioning beyond the grave, but, despite the assertions 
of many professing spiritualists to the contrary, no sat- 
isfactory identifications of personalities who have "been 
passed beyond" for a matter of more than a century or 



MEDIUMSHIP 23 

so, have ever been given. It is quite a common occur- 
rence for mediums to inform their "sitters" of an amaz- 
ing and formidable list of names of the illustrious de- 
parted who have come to be this or that individual's 
"guide" or "Control." This seems to be a certain pro- 
fessional procedure, and works admirably in impressing 
the novice in psychic sittings until years of experience 
have convinced him or her either of its complete fallacy 
or at least uselessness. The true occultist has other ways 
and means of satisfying himself thru knowledge of higher 
spheres than ordinary clairvoyance can ever reach, of the 
continued existence of previously incarnated spirits or 
egos, and he also knows that it is impossible for such 
egos as have passed to spheres beyond the Astral plane 
to function continuously as the permanent guide of any 
mortal, en rapport with that mortal on the physical plane. 
The sole exception to this absolute law, which on later 
knowledge will be found not to be an exception at all, is 
in the case of those Elder Brothers whose evolution so 
far as this planet is concerned has been completed, and 
who have learned to utilize the requisite vehicles for 
functioning on any plane they may desire in the further- 
ance of their work for humanity. 

It is in the application of clairvoyance to the spiritual 
planes that the difference between physical and spiritual 
development becomes apparent. 

Unconscious, passive, or ordinary mediumship of a 
clairvoyant or clairaudient nature is liable to many and 
grievous mistakes. Remarkable identifications may be 
made, wonderful clarity of vision so far as things easily 
recognizable are concerned, may be indicated, but when 
one consults medium after medium of the ordinary "nat- 
ural" or untrained type in regard to supermundane con- 
ditions, one finds oneself in a mental maze of seeming 
inconsistencies, incongruities and contradictions appar- 



24 A BRIEF COURSE IN 

ently irreconcilable. This unfortunate condition may 
not necessarily invalidate the work of the medium, but it 
certainly does confuse the questioner and discourages him 
from further research. 

Heindel * has brot out very nicely the work of the un- 
trained medium, also the efforts of the various media 
when applied to one and the same thing, affording many 
points of view, widely differing. This occurs in his 
simile of the reporters writing up a given city, each con- 
tributing from his own point of view, correct, trained, 
definite, widely differing from those of his fellows, yet all 
combined giving us a more comprehensive idea of that 
particular city than any one alone could have done. 

Again, in the "Cosmo-Conception" we are given the 
simile of looking out between the shutters of a blind, 
whereby we can see only just as much of the view before 
us as can come within the range of our perspective. 

This amply illustrates the idea of passive, untrained 
mediumship operating thru clairvoyant and clairaudient 
phenomena. 

The untrained clairvoyant sees limitedly, is unable to 
describe accurately what he or she really sees, and even 
so cannot see beyond the planes analogous to that of our 
own physical world. 

The trained clairvoyant, on the contrary, sees widely, 
not only thru the Etheric Planes of the higher division 
of the Physical World, but thru the Astral World into 
the lower Thought Planes. 

Such an one is able to discriminate between the illu- 
sions of the World of Desire, which to the untrained seer 
appear to be so permanent and real, — and the real, true, 
archetypes and conditions in the World of Thot, at least 
in its lowest division — that of Concrete Thot. This is 



1 Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception. Max Heindel. 



MEDIUMSHIP 25 

the real value of trained seership — the ability to dis- 
tinguish between the false and the true in things spiritual. 

The World of Desire with its vast aggregation of ap- 
parently tangible conditions, each, however, the creation 
of individual desire, and as evanescent as the desire which 
created them, offers almost insurmountable obstacles to 
the untrained psychic in the way of accurate description. 

The trained clairvoyant first learns what to see, then 
how to see it. Language is often inadequate to properly 
describe spiritual conditions and states, and it is only by 
analogy that they can be made tangible to those who are 
unable to see for themselves. The trained clairvoyant 
sees not only what may be before him, he sees what he 
will, as he will, where and when he will. What is more, 
he learns how to describe accurately what he sees, sep- 
arating, discriminating, weighing and assorting the con- 
ditions so that error in description is reduced to a 
minimum. 

In dealing with the different planes seen clairvoyantly 
one must remember that the clairvoyant is often times 
looking as it were thru several worlds at one and the 
same time. In this way it is obvious how conditions 
actually seen may so often be hopelessly mixed and con- 
founded as to become almost irreconcilable and unintel- 
ligible. Instruction in clairvoyance must include instruc- 
tion in the real conditions pertaining to each world, and 
the medium must be trained so as to be able to properly 
discriminate between the conditions pertaining to each. 

Auras and colors play a most important part in the 
training of a medium. Indeed as a rule it is the color 
that is first perceived by the embryo psychic — many be- 
come so expert in reading color that the story of spiritual 
conditions is often revealed to them in this way alone. 
In an almost similar manner clairaudience is influenced 
in the realm of sound and tone. 



26 A BRIEF COURSE IN 

Many curious cases have been noted by medical science 
which have their explanation purely on the basis of clair- 
voyance. For instance, the case of the boy at Braintree, 
Mass., son of a reputable physician of that town, who 
early developed what was commonly known as the X-ray 
eyes. His peculiar phase gave him the power entirely 
independent of his own volition, to see as clearly and as 
transparently thru, and into other physical organisms, as 
into a vessel of clear water. 

This case was thoroly investigated by many scientific 
men and its genuineness proven beyond doubt. His de- 
scriptions of interior conditions of other organisms was 
so accurate that he became a most useful assistant to his 
father, in the latter's diagnostic work. 

The question is often asked, "Does one see clairvoy- 
antly thru one's physical eyes, or is it thru a different 
power?" Yes and No. In other words, under ordinary 
circumstances the trained clairvoyant does see thru phys- 
ical eyes if he so chooses, or again, he can see equally 
well with both his eyes closed, thus showing that the 
operation of OD force can be directed thru either purely 
physical or purely spiritual channels at will. 

The untrained clairvoyant, however, may have the sen- 
sation of seeing thru physical eyes, solely because those 
avenues of sense perception offer the line of least resist- 
ance to the high vibratory conditions necessary to pro- 
duce clairvoyance, but it is a matter of apparent sensa- 
tion alone, not actual perception thru ocular sensoria. 
The same is equally true of clairaudience. No medium 
hears a spirit. One does have, however, the sensation of 
hearing such, and the sensation is to all purposes as real 
as the actual state of audition. 

In the untrained clairvoyant and clairaudient the evi- 
dences of phenomena manifest thru the undeveloped spir- 
itual centers in the cerebro-spinal system, altho giving the 



MEDIUMSHIP 



27 



medium the impression of having functioned thru the 
normal avenues of sense perception. 

This is what is commonly called the sixth sense, and 
has been variously attributed to the activity of the Pineal 




PINEAL GLAND 



Gland. This is perfectly correct, but the Pineal .Gland 
has been the greatest mystery to anatomists and physiol- 
ogists since its existence first became known to science. 
Only with the key furnished by occultism can we unlock 
its secret. In the lessons on Rosicrucian Symbology 2 
the various functions of the Pineal Gland are fully ex- 
plained and its importance as the primal source of activity 



2 Rosicrucian Symbology. 



28 A BRIEF COURSE IN 

in the human organism both physical and spiritual are 
there outlined. 

One of the most notable examples of a peculiar phase 
of clairvoyance was the case of Mollie Fancher of Brook- 
lyn, whose marvelous work in the assortment and match- 
ing of exquisite colors, with her hands behind her head 
and blind in both eyes, is well known to many thousands 
who visited her. This might well be called a genuine 
case of physico-spiritual clairvoyance. 

In the development of clairvoyance various methods 
have been pursued with about equal success. Crystal- 
lomancy, or the use of a crystal ball, often brings out 
the desired power after the requisite period of concen- 
tration and development. A glass of water filled to the 
brim may be used to the same effect. A sheet of card- 
board with a circle in strong black outline having a black 
dot in the center is also good. In any of these cases, 
however, do not seek to see anything in particular at 
first. In advanced stages of development one can see 
what one wishes by holding the thot generally in mind, 
and its amplification or actuation will be seen clairvoy- 
antly. In this way the activities of distant persons may 
often be noted and described. At first, however, hold 
the mind perfectly blank, with the gaze concentrated 
upon the crystal, surface of the water, or the dot in the 
center of the card. Images will be more readily seen 
via the first two methods. 

When using the card and dot, the first sign of progress 
will be the appearance of a golden or fiery corona around 
the edge of the dot, like the effect of a total eclipse of 
the sun. Often the dot will appear to be doubled. This 
is merely an optical illusion and is not psychical. 

In order to guard against illusions of the senses, the 
student is urgently advised to read thoroly Prof. James' 
Briefer Course in Psychology, wherein all the phenomena 



MEDIUMSHIP 29 

of optics are adequately explained, together with valuable 
data and information regarding the phenomena of sense 
and consciousness as well. Later the dot will appear to 
expand until the developing psychic has the sensation of 
looking directly into black outer space. 

A good Way to proceed, is to take about fifteen or 
twenty minutes of concentration with crystal, glass or 
card, properly shaded from brilliant light, so as not to 
obtain confusing and irritating reflections — on a plain 
fork table, so as not to have the distractions of colored 
designs too close at hand. After this time has elapsed, 
turn off the light entirely and allow the forces to mani- 
fest by aid of the Akasic Light alone. 

Under these conditions one will soon begin to see cloud- 
like formations floating rapidly by, whirling, expanding, 
and closing like spirals. They are indeed the spiral 
nebulae in the Etheric Region, the minute prototypes of 
cosmic creative processes. Little by little, these will be 
noted to have definite color — the colors of the solar spec- 
trum, and in lessons on colors and auras, these color 
significances will be thoroly explained. It is sufficient to 
state here, that such colors exist and will be noted by the 
student. 

As development progresses, geometrical figures will be 
noted in process of formation, sometimes vague, some- 
times taking tangible shape and form. No apparent rea- 
son for their existence will occur to the student at first, 
until he realizes that he is looking probably for the first 
time into the sphere of archetypal forms, and when this 
occurs to him he will give attention to each particular 
form until its definite shape and purpose is made mani- 
fest to him. 

The next step in development is the discernment of 
parts of the human figure. A face, a hand, a foot or 
some other part of the human anatomy will gradually 



30 A BRIEF COURSE IN 

emerge from out the darkness. Sometimes not the figure 
but a portion of a dress or article of wear will be shown 
for purposes of identification. The logical result of this 
stage, however, is the ultimate revelation of the entire 
figure in the spiritual state of being. 

One of the most notable phenomena of development is 
the appearance, after a short time, of bright lights seen 
emanating from another person with whom one may be 
sitting in the dark. Again these bright lights, more 
brilliant than the sun at zenith, will often flash in front 
of one in the full light of day. These are the centers, 
ganglia, if we may so use the word, of the Akasic light 
vibrations and their appearance and perception is always 
a sign of encouragement to the developing psychic. 

When the above mentioned results have been satisfac- 
torily attained then is the time to transmute the passive 
mediumship into active, conscious mediumship, under 
one's own full control and as an act of one's own 
volition. 

Many times the student will note letters, numerals, 
fragments of words or even complete words. These may 
be signs given him by an entity attempting to convey a 
message and such signs should be carefully noticed ; they 
can be held to the psychic vision by a strong act of will, 
long enuf for adequate investigation and concentration. 

The first requisite is the cultivation of one's spiritual 
and mental powers to the highest degree possible. Focus 
all your power on the attainment of self-control and the 
cultivation of strength of will. This cultivation will 
result in the corresponding increase of your atomic, 
molecular, and cellular vibration thruout the entire body 
until, little by little, the functions of the entire organism, 
physical or spiritual, become a matter solely of your own 
voluntary act of will, and the power of clairvoyance and 
clairaudience can be applied as you choose, either as ex- 



MEDIUM SHIP 3/ 

tensively or as minutely investigative as desired. 

Summed up, clairvoyance may be defined as the raising 
of one's powers of sense perception from a lower to a 
higher state of vibration. Science has shown us that there 
are infinitely greater realms of activity than our ordinary 
senses perceive, — that both above and below the spectrum 
there are rays, or states of vibratory impact, which our 
normal senses as we enjoy them at present are unable to 
cognize, but which are nevertheless demonstrable by 
laboratory processes. 

Clairvoyance, therefore, instead of being a supernatural 
power or supernormal process, is simply the cultivation, 
development, expansion, — raising to the Nth power of 
one's faculties of sense perception ; the increase of the 
vibratory status of our sensoria. 

Thoro study of true occultism is necessary in order to 
know accurately what one is seeing or experiencing, and 
to enable one to relegate to its proper place each individ- 
ual item of experience, from a correct knowledge of the 
conditions pertaining to each. • 

Used for the best and highest purposes and actuated 
only by genuine motives, clairvoyance and clairaudience 
will bring happiness and help to humanity, and progress 
and enlightenment to the individual phychic. 

Wrongly used, it will redound to the detriment and de- 
generation of the one so mis-using it. 





32 A B RI E F C OU RS E I N 



CHAPTER THREE 
TRANCE— CONSCIOUS AND UNCONSCIOUS. 

J EXT in order among the phases of 
psychic phenomena, so-called, which 
I claim our attention, is that commonly 
known as TRANCE, which, as we 
learned in a previous lesson, manifests 
under two states — the* conscious and 
the unconscious. 

Just what trance really IS, no occultist, psychologist, 
or scientist can define in terms of scientific verbiage 
which would be adequate and entirely satisfactory. 

Into just what degree of coma the subject enters, just 
what inhibition of the normal sensoria exists ; what be- 
comes of the Ego ; how many vehicles are functioning 
during this state, cannot be answered with any greater 
degree of positivity than we can define the phenomenon 
of consciousness itself. 

The one really great psychologist America has thus far 
produced had to leave this problem unsolved at the day 
of his death, notwithstanding the profound thought he 
had given to the mystery — for mystery it is, or rather, 
they are, for trance and consciousness will both be found 
to be varying manifestations of one and the same group 
of mental functions. 

Trance and consciousness have remained the mystery 
of the ages, for thus far little has been accomplished in 



MEDIUMSHIP 33 

the line of their solution. Once found, we shall indeed 
have made tremendous progress in the direction of a 
more accurate knowledge of just what LIFE itself, chem- 
ically, dynamically, and kinetically, really is. 

Our preliminary investigations of this absorbing phase 
of phenomena bring us face to face at the very outset 
with that bogey of modern schools of occultism — the 
SUBJECTIVE STATE. Regardless of the mental atti- 
tudes of various teachers and instructors, regardless of 
what special doctrines, dogmas, theories or hypotheses 
may be adduced to the contrary, regardless of the wild, 
speculative, vague and unscientific warnings that are so 
often given in these days by teachers who fear lest their 
pupils shall participate in the same advantages they them- 
selves enjoy, and somewhat of their prestige be lost 
thereby — regardless of all this, the application of the 
essential principles of plain, straightforward psychology 
shows the trance state under any conditions to be purely 
subjective. 

It makes no difference whether it be Rosicrucian, Yogi, 
Spiritualistic, or the so-called "Great" School of Natural 
Science, which, after all, is simply the aggregation of 
fraters and sorors visible and invisible in many lands 
and known by many names, who are engaged to the best 
of their individual ability in the Magnum Opus for hu- 
manity — and incidentally for themselves ; trance condi- 
tions will inevitably be found to be subjective. 

The fallacy of so-called "Independent" methods may 
be seen by the simplest process of scientific reasoning. 
Before trance or coma can be attained exterior condi- 
tions must be present in some form to assist. No human 
being can, of his or her own free will, UNAIDED, in- 
hibit the mechanical action of the cerebral functions. To 
stop thinking voluntarily is an utter impossibility. The 
process of transmuting exterior vibratory impacts into 



34 A BRIEF C OU RS E IN 

intelligible sense perception, producing the phenomena of 
consciousness, is closely allied with the involuntary ac- 
tivities of other functions of the human organism, the 
only difference being that one function belongs to the 
mental or spiritual planes, the others to the purely phys- 
ical plane, and it is not chimerical for us to believe that 
ultimately ALL functions will be found to derive their 
initial activity from spiritual planes, and that the very 
phenomenon of Life will be found to consist in the trans- 
mutation of invisible spiritual energy into visible physi- 
cal manifestation. 

No process, therefore, can be truthfully designated as 
"independent" which depends upon exterior conditions 
for assistance. Independent clairvoyance is a totally dif- 
ferent thing, for in that instance one develops by raising 
one's atomic and molecular vibrations to a higher plane, 
and thus independently sees at will after transmuting 
passive mediumship into active, conscious functioning. 

In the case of trance, which is a higher state of devel- 
opment and much more valuable for evidential purposes, 
this development cannot proceed as the result of the 
individual's own voluntary efforts. Exterior forces and 
conditions must be utilized. 

A glance at the historical evidences of the trance state 
shows this always to have been true. 

The often quoted ancients, our masters in occult lore, 
utilized the trance state on all of the more important oc- 
casions. Clairvoyance was to them the simplest of all 
processes and very little importance was attached to it. 
The possession of clairvoyant and clairaudient powers 
was regarded as a sine qua non by the humblest aspirant 
to the priesthood. 

Trance and PROPHECY were the great gifts so 
highly prized by the cabalists of pre-christian times 

Among the exterior processes utilized by them for as- 



MEDIUMSHIP 35 

sistance in producing the trance state may be enumerated 
Drugs, Herbs, Dancing, Vapors, Concentration upon 
specially prepared objects, Fasting, Sexual Excesses, and 
Singing. 

Certain drugs have been and are today known to 
orientals and to some occidentals as powerfully potent in 
the production of temporary or prolonged trance, so deep 
as to become actual catalepsy. 

Dancing was utilized by the psychic among both sexes, 
in ancient times as a means of producing certain mental 
states by accelerated rythmic vibrations, altho, needless 
to say, none of our modern dances can be utilized to 
the same effect. 

Vapors were the primary stimulus or agent in effecting 
the trance state among the Pythia of the Delphic and 
other notable Oracles of ancient times. 

Fasting and Sexual Excesses were and are now to a 
large extent in vogue in India and the Far East, for the 
purpose of producing exalted mental states thru sheer 
physical exhaustion, for it is a well-known fact that the 
weaker the physical organism, the more exalted will the 
mental and spiritual states be found. And it must be 
added at this point that the sexual excesses referred to 
in this instance do not necessarily mean sexual degener- 
acy in the modern acceptance of the term. 

Singing has always been used as a means of producing 
an exalted mental state and is one of the highest exterior 
accessories, as it appeals directly to the spiritual nature 
alone without producing unnecessary exhaustion of the 
physical organism. In a way its effect is analogous to 
that of dancing. 

Without attempting at this point to enter into a scien- 
tific discussion of the psychological principles involved, 
w r e will note the action of the trance state if it may be so 
expresst. 



36 A BRIEF CPU RS E IN 

In a previous chapter we learned that in conscious 
trance the medium permits the use of the physical organ- 
ism without surrendering the individual consciousness. 

In unconscious trance, the medium enters a state of 
absolute coma and while in this condition surrenders the 
control of the physical organism to the operations of the 
manifesting intelligence or so-called "Control" under cir- 
cumstances somewhat analogous to the relations between 
hypnotist and subject on the physical plane. 

It is not our intention to quote Biblical references as 
scientific evidence. It is possible and permissible, how- 
ever, to quote them as purely external evidence relative 
to conditions which have made a powerful impress upon 
the world's work and thot thru methods now under dis- 
cussion. 

As an example, therefore, of conscious trance we may 
refer to Revelations, I. 10, wherein John, the Seer, states: 
"I was in the spirit on the Lord's day and heard behind 
me a great voice, as of a trumpet." 

The points to be noted herein are, first, that John dis- 
tinctly does not state that he heard the great voice with 
his own physical ears and from a purely physical stand- 
point, and the entire context precludes the possibility of 
clairvoyant and clairaudient functioning, for the com- 
plete record constituting the alleged Revelation is known 
as the Vision of St. John in the Isle of Patmos. Then 
again the very fact that John himself is stating the cir- 
cumstances, incidents and events of that Vision shows his 
entire consciousness and memory of what transpired dur- 
ing that interim — in other words, his conscious trance. 

On the other hand, as an example of unconscious 
trance we may refer to I Cor., 14-2, wherein Paul tells 
us that "he that speaketh in an unknown tongue, speak- 
eth not unto men but unto God, for no man understand- 
eth him, howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries." 



MEDIUMSHIP 37 

This cites one of the most important features of the 
trance state, the use of tongues other than one's own. 
As mentioned in a previous lesson, the supreme value of 
trance lies in the fact that in unconscious trance the per- 
sonality of the medium is eliminated, the consciousness 
being to all intent and purpose absent, or at least in abey- 
ance, and the physical organism alone is utilized as the 
instrument of expression for the communicating intelli- 
gences. In this way direct communication is opened up 
between the spiritual world and the physical world, with- 
out the confusing intervention of a third personality or 
intelligence. Gratifying as clairvoyant and clairaudient 
communications may be, there is nothing that can take 
the place of actual direct communication between the two 
principals in a psychic sitting. The unconscious trance 
state often reveals the presence of personalities com- 
municating in their own mother tongues, which may be 
absolutely unknown to the medium. 

The writer knows of one such case which manifested 
under most peculiar and interesting circumstances a few 
years ago in Jersey City. A middle-aged lady of well- 
developed psychic powers was often placed in the trance 
state for a period of two and sometimes three hours at 
a time. 

During this time floods of eloquence poured forth, 
which, however, were absolutely unintelligible to those 
listening. Linguists were called in from neighboring 
schools and colleges, but all alike were unable to place 
the dialect or even the root tongue. Finally a gentleman 
and scholar who had spent many years in the Far East 
placed it as an obscure and extinct root dialect of the 
ancient Perso-Iranian tongue, and after long, arduous, 
and exhaustive study succeeded in translating and ob- 
taining the key to this philological curiosity. When he 
had done so, however, the reward was ample, for an in- 



38 A BRI E F C OU RS E IN 

telligence was put in touch with our modern day who 
has since shed much light on hitherto obscure and unin- 
telligible subjects, and contributed greatly to archaeolog- 
ical research relating to the times of the Medes and 
Persians. 

On interviewing this lady, the speaker found that her 
health, which had been exceedingly delicate and precari- 
ous up to that time for many years, had begun to improve 
and that she felt as tho the mission of a lifetime had been 
accomplished, notwithstanding the fact that she was an 
absolutely passive instrument in the whole procedure. 

Referring once more to I Cor., we note that the very 
first verse emphasizes the importance of PROPHECY 
as brot out at the beginning of this lesson. 

A description of the various stages or processes in the 
trance state would be analogous to instructions for the 
developing psychic, therefore they may both be consid- 
ered as included herewith. 

It is assumed that the developing psychic has been fol- 
lowing out the methods of concentration outlined in pre- 
vious lessons. It may be that some will be incapable of 
developing the trance state and will have to be content 
with other phases. However, if the proper conditions 
are present and the cerebral status of the subject permit, 
those adapted to this state of development will begin to 
experience after a time the following symptoms : 

First, a sensation somewhat akin to that noted when 
one is taking gas or other anaesthetic — a sense of ap- 
proaching asphyxiation or strangulation. This is very 
apt to cause fear at first and an utter dread of "letting 
go" of one's consciousness. There is no pain, however, 
and right here it may be stated that every time a subject 
enters the trance state such an one dies to all intent and 
purpose just as completely as tho the moment of final 
transition had arrived. It IS death- — temporarily — the 



MEDIUMSHIP 39 

only difference between it and what is commonly and 
mistakenly called death being that in the latter case the 
silver cord breaks and the Ego returns no more to that 
particular vehicle, whereas in the former, the Ego returns 
and takes up actual physical functioning again until its 
destiny is completed. 

A slight psychical and physical hysteria will be noted 
at the moment of losing consciousness, due to the struggle 
for breath. This usually takes the form of accelerated 
deep breathing, and the consequent expulsion of air from 
the lungs, until to the observer it would seem that it was 
almost impossible for the ordinary human organism to 
exhale to such a continuous extent. 

These symptoms become less marked as the psychic 
becomes more responsive to the process, and in some 
cases is hardly noticeable. They will always be present 
to some degree, however, and this is the safeguard against 
fraud and trickery, for without them, the sitter must 
never feel wholly confident that the subject or medium 
is wholly unconscious. 

At the supreme moment of losing consciousness, the 
psychic notes a sensation as tho a cold rain or moisture 
was descending upon the head, gradually enveloping the 
entire body ; some psychics describe it as a shutter pulled 
down before their eves and then — blackness and coma. 
On emerging from the trance state the subject takes up 
thot just where it ceased and is unconscious of lapse of 
time and anything that may have taken place in the in- 
terim. A condition of fatigue is experienced, which, 
however, soon passes away and the organism regains 
quickly its normal conditions and functions, that is, in 
those cases where the medium is not making trance me- 
diumship a matter of livelihood and is undergoing the 
trance not once but several times each day. In such 
cases the physical organism is unable to stand the con- 



40 A BRIEF CPU RSE IN 

tinuous interruptions of the normal processes and many 
signs of physical weakness become apparent. Also many 
evidences of eccentricities are revealed, petty personal 
weaknesses, flightiness, vanity, inordinate desires in many 
channels, and it is regrettable to state many mediums 
resort to artificial stimulus to supply a false vigor in 
place of that which Nature alone should give. 

After trance has been acquired, evidences will shortly 
be noted by the observer of attempts to articulate, ap- 
parently, on the part of the subject's rigid organism, fol- 
lowed by actual communications thru this organism from 
the controlling intelligence. 

This period of communication may be protracted some- 
times for a matter of hours, many different intelligences 
communicating in the meantime. The average interim 
of safety is about an hour, without causing undue weak- 
ening of the medium's physical vitality. There are au- 
thentic cases on record, however, where a medium has 
been under trance control for a matter of two or three 
days, all the while acting and moving about apparently 
perfectly normal, altho as a totally different personality. 

It may be mentioned here, that many of the cases of 
so-called multiple personality, a term which modern psy- 
chology has invented for lack of more definite knowledge 
on the subject, are simple cases of trance control by out- 
side or exterior personalities. 

In a similar manner, many of the cases of so-called 
iuspended animation which are protracted for many days 
»nd even weeks in our hospitals, are also cases of psychic 
control wherein the obsessing intelligence has not been 
able to break at will its rapport with the subject or 
medium whom it has obsessed. The subject of Obsession, 
however, is a matter for discussion at another time. 

While the medium is thus entranced the listener may 
converse as freely with the communicating intelligence 



MEDIUMSHIP 4J_ 

as tho he were conversing with one on the ordinary 
physical plane. 

It has been stated that the relations between the con- 
trol and the medium are analogous to those between the 
hypnotist and the subject. 

In both cases the ' control and the hypnotist may be 
known as the "Operator," the medium and the hypnotic 
subject will be known simply as the "Subject" and the 
audience of one or more may be known as the "Listener." 




DIAGRAM 

O, Operator; S, Subject; L, Listener. Arrows indicate direction 

of Lines of force. L^-O, indicates progression of thought 

form back to the Operator, informing the Operator that the 

message or idea has been received and cognized. 

It is a false assumption that the spirits really enter the 
Subject's physical body. They may indeed pass thru it 
in the interpenetrative term of the Fourth Dimension, 
but the operations of control are carried on entirely out- 
side the physical organism. 

On the physical plane the operator, O, hypnotises the 
subject, S, and when the latter is completely under his 



42 A BRIEF C OU RS E IN 

control S will automatically repeat any movement or ut- 
terance of the operator if ordered to do so or ordered to 
enter a state wherein he will do so automatically, without 
further specific instructions. 

On the spiritual plane, the process is analogous, only 
there it is a much more complicated process. Just as no 
professional hypnotist can guarantee successfully to hyp- 
notize ANY subject, and might fail where another op- 
erator would succeed, and vice versa, so, too, in the spirit- 
ual planes not ANY spirit at will can control a given 
medium or physical organism. Spirit intelligences are 
attracted to each and every psychic by virtue of the 
Akasic light which such psychics emanate in the spiritual 
world. Out of the entire number so attracted, one or 
more, usually one in particular, will be attracted, who is 
able to come in rapport with the psychic, and control the 
physical organism, assisting in the production of the 
trance state and dominating the organism while that state 
exists or continues. This intelligence becomes known as 
the permanent control, and sometimes a group is formed, 
all of whom may be equally successful in control of the 
organism, which group thereafter becomes known and 
that particular medium's "band" of "Guides." All other 
spiritual intelligences desiring to communicate with the 
visible world thru that particular medium, are obliged to 
do so thru the channel of one of the particular group of 
controls associated with that medium. This is amply 
illustrated by the diagram. And it is curious to note how 
our old friend the Shem-Hammephorash becomes obvious 
in the lines of direction produced. 

The only difference between the processes noted for 
Unconscious trance and those which apply to Conscious 
trance, is, that in the case of the latter the same initial 
blackness appears, coma and rigidity set in, but conscious- 
ness does not depart, and the medium may be fully con- 



MEDIUMSHIP 43 

scious of all that is being- said and done — a condition 
oftentimes valuable and advantageous to the medium for 
purposes of knowledge, but not so satisfactory from an 
evidential standpoint to the listener. 

From the foregoing we may see that trance really con- 
sists in the transference of the medium's motor and 
sensory states to those of the Operator, the process con- 
stituting what is known as the phenomenon of Control. 

As we have emphasized so frequently in these lessons, 
it is a matter of transmutation in accordance with Na- 
ture's laws. Let no one believe for a moment that mirac- 
ulous powers can be produced by so-called "independent" 
methods, for the simple reason that no one is immune 
from inexorable law. Otherwise we should shortly wit- 
ness the destruction of the species. 

Trance communication is almost completely a matter of 
rapport. Many times those unexperienced in psychic 
knowledge receive most satisfactory evidences in the very 
first sitting with a trance medium. Often it happens that 
professing spiritualists and those who have followed these 
lines of thot for a lifetime receive but little, and are abso- 
lutely unable to get in touch with loved ones whom they 
most ardently desire to reach. The reason is simple. 

If the sitter or listener does not bring such influences 
with him, if the ones he desires to reach do not accom- 
pany him invisibly to the seance, it is incongruous to 
expect that any psychic or the controls of such can reach 
out into what we call space and summon them at will. If 
such were the case, our estimate of spiritual worlds 
would have to be considerably altered. Sometimes it is 
better that we do not get into communication with the 
very ones we seek. In such cases the conditions are 
known on the other side of life better than we can realize 



44 A BRIEF CPU RS E IN 

them here and often the very things we want most and 
seek most ardently, are for higher purposes withheld 
from us. 

In attending psychic sittings or seances, as they are 
usually called, one finds in America many evidences of 
what are called Indian controls. The uninitiated often 
ask, usually in a spirit of skepticism or contempt, "Why 
does every medium have to have an Indian?" Well, in 
the first place, "every medium" does not have one. A 
large number have. And those who do so count them- 
selves fortunate in being so honored. A little thot will 
show why this is so. In the first place, America was the 
home of the North American Indian. He has been 
crowded out of his rightful home, without consideration, 
by a conglomerate of races with whom he has little sym- 
pathy. The Indian was essentially a child of Nature 
and lived close to the bosom of Mother Earth. From his 
standpoint and status of evolution it is but natural that 
in spirit life he should for many centuries to come inhere 
in the planes with which he and his ancestors were so 
closely associated and related. And whenever oppor- 
tunity offers for expression on that plane, it is only nat- 
ural that he should seize it as eagerly as those who may 
perhaps have less right therein than himself. 

In the next place, the Indian character figures largely. 
The modern Indian, usually a degenerate and of more 
or less mixed blood, is no proper standard by which to 
form one's estimate of Indian character. Those who have 
definite knowledge of the real primitive Indian, know him 
to possess characteristics compared with which the mod- 
ern and in fact mediaeval savagery of the white man 
with his treachery, deceit, and greed, which pass under 
the synonym of business acumen, show up to great dis- 
advantage. 



MEDIUMSHIP 45 

An Indian never forgets an injury or a favor. And 
the medium who is so fortunate as to have attracted one 
of these children of Nature to himself or herself, has the 
consciousness, which only they can realize, of having 
made a friend well worth retaining at all costs. 

What becomes of the Ego — the personality — while the 
trance state exists, and other intelligences function thru 
the erstwhile physical vehicle? Who knows? Many and 
varied assertions will be made by more or less unintelli- 
gent media. It is quite probable, from the evidence at 
hand, that the Ego, accompanied by the Etheric and 
Astral bodies and Mind stuff, withdraws a short space, 
holding itself in abeyance, itself in a state more or less of 
coma. But the great advantage offered to neophytes in 
the occult, who seek the trance state, is the facility it 
offers in attaining that higher development commonly 
known as "going out of the body." Those who have 
followed the higher path and do not exercise their me- 
diumship for personal gains, have in many instances ac- 
complished this much-sought result. 

Either while they are relegating their physical or- 
ganism to the use of communicating intelligences, or 
while alone by themselves, they compass this result of 
entering the higher spheres and drawing therefrom the 
knowledge required for the furtherance of the work they 
are endeavoring to do for humanity. 

Whether or not they can manifest to mortals while 
out of the body does not matter so long as they can con- 
sciously function on higher planes. That such manifesta- 
tions have occurred and do occur is undeniable, but it is 
not a desideratum. The main thing is to be able to enjoy 
those intercommunications face to face with the guardians 
of our evolution ; and to witness the operations and shap- 
ings of cosmic processes in Nature's great laboratory is 
the highest accomplishment the student of the Cosmic 



46 A BRIEF COURSE IN 

Schools can possibly desire. It is within the attainment 
of those who seek from motives other than that of curi- 
osity, for curiosity and desire must be stilled before we 
can ever hope to enter that arcanum. The student who 
takes up occultism as a pastime, to amuse whenever 
something- more interesting - does not intervene, will never 
accomplish much beyond the mere rudiments of the 
science. Knowledge is a hard taskmaster and continu- 
ous and unwavering concentration on the work in hand 
is the price of progress. 

The words of the Order, however, are ever before us : 
"Whoso seeks shall find, and unto him who knocks 
shall it be opened," and we may be sure that the an- 
swering welcome will be just as sure and certain as our 
search and efforts to knock have been arduous. 

Well-meaning students and many who are unacquainted 
with the first principles of the spiritistic hypothesis, at- 
tempt to relegate the phenomena of trance to the domain 
of the sub-conscious mind, so-called. Even a most super- 
ficial knowledge of genuine psychology would make the 
error in such an attempt apparent. 

The most that the sub-conscious mind, as we under- 
stand it, could do, would be to bring out matter which 
the medium might easily have acquired, but which under 
normal conditions and circumstances he might never ex- 
perience an impulse to express. 

When a person in the state of complete trance under- 
goes an equally complete change of personality, voice, 
manner of expression ; bringing out facts and informa- 
tion of whatsoever sort, so long as it could not by any 
means have been known to the medium normally, then 
it is absurd and illogical to attempt to account for such 
conditions under the general activities of the sub-con- 
scious mind. 



MEDIUMSHIP 4J_ 

In regard to the physiological conditions involved in 
the development of trance, it must be confessed that thus 
far it has been impossible to find a medium who has suc- 
ceeded in attaining this development who has not done 
so at the expense of ideal physical conditions. 

Regardless of the methods pursued, regardless of the 
teachings of any school to the contrary, an intimate per- 
sonal knowledge of any medium of the trance grade will 
reveal a more or less affected condition of the heart and 
cerebro-spinal system, sometimes one alone, usually both 
more or less involved. Angina pectoris is commonly 
found among those who have sought and attained this 
goal. A peculiar loss of control in speech is sometimes 
also noted — not necessarily continuously, but at intervals 
the medium will be noted to slightly reverse words, or 
be obliged to go over a sentence or statement twice in 
order to make it perfectly intelligible to the listener. 

Clairvoyance and clairaudience are both perfectly nat- 
ural functions and birthrights, but he who seeks the 
trance state, knocks boldly at the door of the unknown. 
He seeks to penetrate the veil of Isis, which as yet no 
man hath fully lifted. And in entering upon these un- 
known conditions it is apparent that at the present stage 
of man's development he cannot do so without the sac- 
rifice of at least a modicum of his normal status. 

Be this as it may, it is an ideal well worth the seeking, 
for the reward to those who can seek, attain and utilize 
the trance state profitably and unselfishly, is great, and 
its uses to humanity at large thru the mediumship of its 
worthy instruments is almost incalculable. 

Trance will be found the key to many of the mysteries 
of modern psychology, when science at last exchanges 
its ass's ears for those of the attentive sort. Once the 
schoolmen can give up their quarrels and petty profes- 
sional jealousies, once they can break the fetters of ec- 



48 A BRIEF C OU RS E IN 

clesiastical superstitition, a tremendous advance will be 
made. The phenomenon of Trance at present occupies 
the same relative position in the scientific world that 
Mesmerism and later hypnotism formerly enjoyed. Now 
both are recognized by Church and State, by Science and 
Law, and proper regulations are provided for their 
operation. 

When these factors of civilization arrive at the same 
state of enlightenment regarding Trance phenomena, 
then we shall have open schools for the proper guidance, 
assistance and development of those who care to seek, 
and the consequent revelations to humanity and the re- 
sultant guidance in the world's affairs will make for 
greater leaps along the path of progress than the world 
has ever known. 

Meantime, it remains for the schools of occultism to 
avail themselves of the opportunities offered in utilizing 
this wonderful and mysterious power for the best good 
and progress of humanity at large. 





MET) I U M S H I P 49 



CHAPTER FOUR 
INSPIRATION— ENTERING THE SILENCE. 

] O say that one is "inspired" has become 
such a commonplace that we scarcely 
ever attach to the word the importance 
which it lawfully deserves. Then again, 
there is a certain class of credulous peo- 
ple who, having dabbled more or less in 
spiritualism, would rather attribute to the activities or 
influences of spirits the ordinary statements of an intel- 
lectual person, when as a matter of fact they may be no 
more or less than expressions prompted by common good 
sense. 

Webster defines Inspiration as "the act or power of 
exercising an elevating or stimulating influence upon the 
intellect or emotions ; the result of such influence ; the 
influence which quickens or stimulates. A supernatural 
or divine influence on the Prophets, Apostles or Sacred 
Writers, by which they were qualified to communicate 
moral or religious truth, with authority; a supernatural 
influence which qualifies men to receive and communi- 
cate divine truth ; also the truth so communicated." 

Theologically, this is divided into two sections, PLEN- 
ARY INSPIRATION— "that kind of inspiration which 
excludes all defect in the utterance of the inspired mes- 
sage," and VERBAL INSPIRATION— "that kind of 
inspiration which extends to the very words and forms 
of expression of the divine message." 



50 A B RI E F C OU RS E I N 

In the light of these definitions we find inspiration to 
be vastly more than the ability to say good things at the 
proper moment, or to thrill an audience under any cir- 
cumstances by mere rhetoric and oratory. 

Probably the most notable example of inspiration tan- 
gibly expresst was at Pentecost when the Holy Ghost 
descended upon the heads of the erstwhile followers of 
the Nazarene in the form of tongues of flame, and they 
spake with tongues other than their own. 

This phenomenon was simply the visible expression of 
the spiritual afflatus which descends upon and enters 
every human being when under the influence of true 
inspiration. 

Real inspiration depends not upon the intellectual ac- 
complishments of the instrument thru which it mani- 
fests, for as the divine afflatus operated thru the fisher- 
men of Galilee, only two of whom could have been desig- 
nated as educated men, so in our own day a Lincoln may 
be the channel of some of the most inspired utterances 
that ever emanated from mortal lips, and nearly every 
man, woman, and child in the American nation is well 
acquainted with the lack of educational facilities with 
which the later President had to cope during boyhood 
and young manhood. 

As a matter of fact, it would seem that true inspiration 
is oftener recognized when the instrument is uncouth and 
unpolished than when it comes to us thru the finished 
product of college and university. In the case of the 
former it bursts upon us in untarnished brilliancy, carry- 
ing conviction without the necessity of applying the ordi- 
nary processes of logic, and appealing with direct force 
to the individual human mind — or shall we say to the 
Ego direct. In the case of the college product, it is so 
easy to coin beautiful phrases — indeed it is the art and 
custom of the time to say beautiful things whenever pos~ 



MEDIUMSHIP 5J_ 

sible — that it is only by the glaring lack of soul in such 
utterances that we are able to distinguish them before we 
give them credit for being more than they would appear 
to be at first hearing. 

Inspiration is not by any manner of means the work 
consciously of the speaker or writer. It is absolutely the 
work of higher spheres, and the only way in which we 
can assist in this work is by maintaining the utmost open- 
ness of mind and thot, the most absolute freedom of ex- 
pression of any thots which may come into our minds 
on given occasions, and the sincere desire to act as the 
messenger of higher worlds in giving the message to 
humanity for which it is always waiting. 

The Quakers, Holy Ghosters and similar sects are ex- 
amples of modern organizations which depend entirely 
upon the action of inspiratory influences for their essen- 
tial life and propaganda. 

Under any and all circumstances, inspiration is the 
activity of spiritual force or forces operating upon the 
human cerebral faculties from the invisible realms of 
being. To a certain extent its operation is analogous to 
the functions of trance. 

The spiritual force alluded to may be the functioning 
of a single spiritual entity, or again it may be the con- 
joined forces or powers of a group of spiritual entities 
united in common thot for a given work. It is evident 
that when it is the latter case there must be absolute 
unanimity of thot and purpose amongst the entities in 
question, otherwise it would be absolutely impossible to 
put thru a given line or strain of inspiration by means 
of one organism as the transmitting apparatus. 

Whatever the source of the inspiration may be, it will 
be the result of the application of spiritual power, func- 
tioning thru the life and light ethers on the astral body 
and mind stuff or intellectual soul of the subject chosen 



52 A BRIEF COURSE IN 

for the purpose. The process of inspiring is one of grad- 
ual inhibition of the physical sensoria, not to the point of 
coma but to a point of perfect equilibrium between the 
physical and spiritual polarities, so that in place of the 
cerebral activities of the physical organism, obedient to 
the resident Ego, there will be supplied the thots, ideas 
and impulses of the operating forces and intelligences 
instead. As a matter of fact, the process of exact thot 
is so much a condition exterior to the given organism 
that it is not difficult after the initial inhibition of the 
physical sensoria, to control the thot processes from the 
outside so that only what is desired will be cognized and 
enunciated. 

Consonant with the inspiratory process will be noted 
increase of temperature, sense of oppression on the part 
of the subject so utilized, and increased heart action. In 
rare, very rare instances, this heart action has been in- 
creased to such an extent that it has proved fatal to the 
subject. It is noted occasionally in the daily press that 
this or that speaker or orator succumbed after an un- 
usually brilliant outburst and death ensued, usually diag- 
nosed by the attendant physicians as heart failure. 

The most common method by which inspiration usually 
manifests is thru the articulation already begun, of the 
subject. We have said that the process is one of in- 
hibition of the physical sensoria. This is especially no- 
table in the case of such religious sects as the Quakers, 
who sit in silence until "the spirit moves." When it does 
so move, they rise to their feet and give utterance to 
whatsoever they feel prompted to say. 

In genuinely religious cases this undoubtedly does give 
an opportunity for genuine inspiration, but inasmuch as 
inspiration differs somewhat from trance, in that it does 
not call for complete control of the entire physical or- 
ganism, it makes the initial inspiratory utterance difficult 



MEDIUMSHIP 53 

indeed. Therefore, in a large number of cases, it is 
quite possible to believe that the religious utterances on 
such occasions as the meetings of the Quakers also pro- 
duce the results of unconscious cerebration even tho the 
subject be sincere. 

In cases where the psychic begins to speak on a given 
subject on which he or she may be more or less prepared, 
after the psychic has "warmed to it," as we say, a feeling 
akin to instantaneous strangulation is felt ; a certain con- 
fusion of words if the psychic is actually speaking, hardly 
enuf to be noticed even by a critical audience, and then 
the psychic continues conscious of a power supporting 
him which he does not ordinarily experience, and which 
seems to supply thots, verbiage, volume of tone, gestures, 
and manner of declamation which he would not ordinar- 
ily use ; the whole coming forth thru his organism with 
a vehemence, a positivity, clarity of concept and power 
of conviction which makes him instinctively conscious 
that he has his audience in his power, that every word is 
striking home, and that he is in very truth standing and 
speaking in the power of the spirit. 

Where does inspiration originate ? That is to be deter- 
mined first by its character. Just because an utterance 
is undoubtedly inspired does not mean that it is neces- 
sarily good. Many of the most diabolical concepts ever 
given manifestation thru the human family have been 
inspired. 

The unseen world has every conceivable variety of 
denizens, according to the. plane in question. And each 
plane has its own grades of development. It is quite 
possible that some of the attempts to inspire from even 
the highest spheres, on the part of a recent attainer to 
that sphere; might cast ridicule on that plane until such 
time as the inspirer was able to correct his original mis- 



54 A BRI E F C OU RS E I N 

take or until it was explained by those who might come 
to his rescue and our elucidation. 

On the other hand, what is commonly called an earth- 
bound spirit may give us absolutely accurate informa- 
tion, thru inspiration, of the sphere which is his erstwhile 
home, yet inspire at the same time thots which might 
work untold harm and destruction to humanity. Such, 
for instance, are the various erotic poems which, under 
beautiful verbiage, accurate meter, give us beautiful ideas 
regarding certain spiritual realms, yet also stimulate thots 
which may work against health, hygiene and virtue. 

As has been stated in previous lessons, the psychic 
must learn to discriminate between all the conditions in 
any given phase of psychic phenomena. Just because a 
thing is pleasing does not make it necessarily good. It 
is often said that the good is beautiful, and vice versa. 
That is true in the abstract. A beautiful soul may in- 
habit an ugly body, but it will show forth and illuminate 
that body by its works, and its beauty will thus become 
apparent. 

An inspired utterance may give us sublime concepts 
regarding spiritual realms, but to be from the right 
source, it must pass the censorship of that guardian of 
the soul — conscience, which tells us in a flash whether 
the accompanying and resultant thots are in consonance 
or otherwise. 

A given psychic ordinarily attracts inspiratory forces 
according to his character and personality. Regarding 
the rascals of the underworld, we often read with a sort 
of admiration of their seemingly miraculous successes in 
accomplishing what all the ingenuity of men has been 
focussed upon preventing. 

And yet this very statement brings up another thot, 
that of the apparent inconsistencies of cosmic law. For 
out of the most unlooked for sources we often derive the 



MEDIUMSHIP 55 

greatest lights and flashes of supermundane intelligence. 
We say "apparent" inconsistencies, because we must re- 
member, at the same time, that just as we might feel 
obliged to avail ourselves, under stress of circumstance, 
of the opportunity to send a message by an unacceptable 
messenger, so spirit entities and those operative on the 
other side of life oftentimes are obliged to utilize the 
means immediately at hand in the transmission of a mes- 
sage that may mean much to humanity. 

In the beginning of this chapter we said that "real 
inspiration does not depend upon the intellectual ac- 
complishment of the instrument" ; that sometimes its real 
presence was evidenced more positively thru the un- 
couth channel than thru the polished instrument ; and 
again, that, it was not the work consciously of the speaker 
or writer. 

All this is absolutely true, as a preliminary introduc- 
tion. But once we recognize what inspiration really is, 
and consciously offer ourselves as instruments thru which 
it may function, the foregoing statements take an en- 
tirely different aspect. 

Ordinarily inspiration, like all psychic forces, follows 
the line of least resistance and chooses those channels 
which do not by preconceived ideas, mechanical processes 
of training and education commit us to definite trammels 
of thot. But once a subject voluntarily chooses to offer 
himself as a channel for inspiratory forces, then all the 
education, all the polished speech and cultured verbiage 
he can acquire will be of inestimable advantage to the 
higher forces operating thru him. In such cases he offers 
the least resistance of all, for not only does he offer no 
resistance to the thot impressed, but he is of material 
assistance in supplying the requisite means for most de- 
sirable presentation. Such men and women make the 
so-called "golden tongued" orators, of whom the world 



56 A BRIEF CPU RSE IN 

chronicles not many, but of whom the late Robert G. 
Ingersoll was one of the most notable examples. 

As a rule, inspiration does not ordinarily come to those 
who are not to some degree gifted with the ability of 
speaking either before public or private audiences. The 
developing psychic should not attempt to seek this attain- 
ment, worthy as it is, unless he or she is used to speak- 
ing publicly or at least before fairly good sized audiences. 
Sometimes continuous speaking before a home group 
helps to encourage it. But it is manifest that the pur- 
pose for which inspiration is given from the other side 
of life is that the thots and impulsive ideas so given may 
be transmitted to the largest possible number and that 
these inspirations are not apt to be attempted in the pri- 
vacy of one's home or for the entertainment of one's 
guests, unless indeed there is a very special message to 
be given to some individual or group of individuals 
chosen for a definite purpose. 

The developing psychic may indeed seek those forms 
of inspiration that come to him if he is a writer, oftener 
supplying the thots faster than he can transcribe them. 
Writing furnishes one of the greatest channels for reach- 
ing the world at large, and undoubtedly one has the right 
to seek inspiration for this form of activity, and it is also 
undoubtedly true that many able writers recognize this 
power of inspiration and are willing to give credit where 
credit belongs. 

An example of this sort is the case of Henry Van 
Dyke, formerly a New York divine, later Ambassador 
to Holland. Shortly before he left the ministry he wrote 
a book which he boldly claimed to be inspired in the 
highest sense, and not according to the ordinarily ac- 
cepted interpretation of the word. As a result of his 
eminent position his claims were courteously heard, but 
with that pitying condescension on the part of press and 



MEDIUMSHIP 57 

science that is accorded to all pioneers in the domain of 
the unseen. Had he simply claimed it to be inspired, 
it would have been tacitly admitted without a word of 
criticism, but claiming real inspiration from the higher 
spheres, it amused the eminent critics of the day. His- 
tory will record the incident, but the evanescent names 
of the piffling critics have already been forgotten and 
will pass into oblivion. 

ENTERING THE SILENCE is the greatest of all 
achievements in the life of the developing psychic, and 
he must be a well-developed psychic indeed before this 
grade or privilege is at last attained. 

In entering the silence, the "I" or "Ego" is at liberty 
to roam where it will up to certain planes, all the time 
bound to the physical body, wheresoever it may be, by 
the Silver Cord whose time for final breaking has not yet 
arrived. 

Sitting in concentration and meditation, the psychic 
awaits the approach of the trance coma ; with this differ- 
ence, he consciously wills the inhibition of the physical 
sensoria, the abeyance of the activities of the Etheric 
Body, concentrating upon their separation from his higher 
vehicles just as he wills (altho in this case almost uncon- 
sciously) that his muscles perform the act of discarding 
his clothing in the act of retiring for the night. The 
psychic retains his consciousness every moment of the 
time. He wills himself out from the now useless Chem- 
ical and Etheric vehicles and is as free to go whereso- 
ever he wills to go — in fact, very much freer — as when 
he was still in the envelope of flesh. 

Astrally he can manifest to friends if he so desire, be- 
ing seen in more places than one at a given time. He 
experiences to his own satisfaction the status of the 
Fourth Dimension of Space and then realizes that not 



58 A BRIEF COURSE IN 

only a Fourth but a Fifth, Sixth, in fact innumerable 
dimensions of space exist. 

Entering- the Silence is not accomplished by the aid 
of any exterior accessories. It is a result of Meditation, 
Concentration, Abstinence, and Fasting to a certain 
extent. 

When we say exterior accessories we mean such things 
as crystals et al., for it is certain that our friends on the 
other side of life often do assist us in our first attempts 
to enter the silence and continue to do so until we are 
familiar with the new environment and have conquered 
the Enemy at the Threshold, with which those who have 
progressed in Rosicrucianism are familiar. 

In the first attempts at going out of the body, as it is 
often termed, one experiences a momentary loss of con- 
sciousness, so fleeting that it can hardly be said to take 
place at all. In fact, it is not loss of consciousness in 
the ordinary sense, but rather a sensation of blackness, a 
blackness so intense that one can feel it. One is almost 
imperceptibly conscious of loss of all motor or sensory 
functions and if it may be so described "feels" that one 
is unconscious. 

At the very outset it is almost impossible to find terms 
in our language with which to adequately express the 
facts concerning these higher spiritual conditions and 
states. 

After the first experiences in going out of the bodv, 
one passes over the state above described and is abso- 
lutely conscious in the full sense of the word during 
every moment of the transition from one world to the 
other, from the visible to the invisible. 

And this very status is by no means the least interest- 
ing of all the events connected with this privilege and is 
one of unfailing interest, no matter how often the ex- 
perience be repeated. The only difference is that the 



MEDIUMSHIP 59 

oftener one undertakes this experience, the less one's at- 
tention is diverted by the motor processes connected 
therewith and the more keenly one's sensory faculties be- 
come aware of the details incident to the occasion. 

The status referred to is the transition of apparently 
hard, impenetrable MATTER into a vaporlike, interpene- 
trative condition, retaining the semblance of form, but 
offering no resistance to the purpose of the concentrated 
WILL. Coupled with this is the equally interesting 
transition of purely SPIRITUAL CONDITIONS which 
we may have seen clairvoyantly as in a mirror, full of 
color, life and form, but apparently as a mirage, a vision 
or at least a glimpse thru some transparent and translu- 
cent substance, now becoming REAL, TANGIBLE, and, 
to the Enterer, MATERIAL. 

In this transition the one who is crossing the Thresh- 
old becomes aware, after the momentary blackness, of 
a gradually appearing greyish colored condition or state 
of environment not unlike grey fog, but without the sen- 
sation of any moisture connected therewith. 

Many times on entering the spiritual world this con- 
dition will be noted and some who have not had the hard- 
ihood to persist in their efforts have become so convinced 
that such was the real status of the spiritual planes that 
the name of the Grey World has been wrongly given to 
the whole Astral plane. 

This color is due to two distinct causes ; first, to the 
imperfect dissociation between the Ego and its Astral 
Body and Mind Stuff, and the Chemical and Etheric 
Bodies. The psychic vision is affected thereby, and, like 
an infant new born into the Physical World, the Enterer 
is unable at first to accurately sense and cognize the con- 
ditions of the (to him) new plane of life, and he is fur- 
ther unable to cognize the status of color in the spiritual 
world as distinguished from the status of color based 



60 A BRI E F C OU RS E IN 

upon the scale of the solar spectrum in the physical world. 

Secondly, it is due to the disturbance in sensory 
perception at the moment of the transmutation of 
APPARENT MATTER INTO SPIRIT, and the co- 
incident transmutation of APPARENT SPIRIT INTO 
MATTER. 

It is not our purpose to describe herein the various 
conditions encountered and experienced in the spiritual 
worlds, such a description belonging to other departments 
of our philosophy. 

We can only state further, that in due process of time, 
the Enterer learns to discriminate between the various 
ethers, observing the processes peculiar and appropriate 
to each; then observing the functions operative on the 
Astral Plane, which is just as tangible, just as real, and 
just as objective to the astral visitor as tho he were still 
functioning in the physical world clad in his ordinary 
habiliments. 

One marked difference, however, is that in the physical 
world we adorn the dense organism with clothing for pur- 
poses of protection against the weather and in accord- 
ance with our dictates as to taste, color, etc. 

In entering the spiritual world we note at once that 
only those things have tangible existence which are the 
natural outcome of cosmic process and evolutional func- 
tions incidental to the development of the natural world 
and its various departments. Thus while the astral body 
can manifest for purposes of identification in any state 
of apparel desired, in its natural condition on the astral 
plane it is absolutely nude. As, however, we were in- 
formed by Buddha and, later, by the Christ, "in the 
Kingdom of Heaven there is neither marrying nor giving 
in marriage," so we find an absence of sex conditions, as 
we understand and experience them on the physical 
plane. 



MED IV M SH IP 6J_ 

Procreation is not carried on, on the astral plane, hence 
there is no need for the ordinary exercise of the sex 
functions for that purpose. The sex force is therefore 
raised to a much higher condition, in which the percep- 
tion of color, music, form, harmony, become real, tan- 
gible LIVING THINGS affording a sense of pleasure, 
satisfaction and real enjoyment far exceeding any of our 
physical concepts of that term. 

Leaving the body or re-entering it thus become to the 
psychic merely a matter of will. The one who succeeds 
in attaining to this state is what is commonly known as 
a Master, Adept, Chela and the like. These are not the 
mythical beings with miraculous powers cited by the- 
osophical writers. None of the systems which hold up to 
our adoration these wonderful beings, according to their 
description, have ever produced a single example and 
they take refuge in the assertion that such god-like crea- 
tures appear only to those who are ready to receive them. 

This would, if true, be in defiance of all cosmic law. 
Nature intends each human being to be essentially human 
while incarnate. No half-gods, half-men exist today. 
The highly developed being who is too high to mingle 
with humanity is a monstrosity and unnatural and does 
not exist. We do not doubt Christ's mastership, nor that 
of Moses, nor that of any of the greatest teachers of 
humanity whose mission and work the entire world rec- 
ognizes.' THEY CAME TO THE POOR, THE UN- 
INITIATED, THE UNEDUCATED, and today the 
educated and fashionable consider it good form to ac- 
count themselves, at least in name, as followers of these 
teachers and profess to hold in reverence their works 
and words. 

So, too, we can rightfully discard any system that 
offers for our acceptance any development which assumes 



62 A B RI E F C OU RS E I N 

to make us more than hitman or professes to credit its 
initiates with miraculous and semi-divine powers. 

The world requires WORKERS, not demi-gods, and 
a healthy common sense occultism does not profess to 
produce any higher development than that. 

The Rosicrucian philosophy has many duly accredited 
initiates amongst its members, incarnate and discarnate, 
who have achieved the highest development possible while 
still incarnate. All of them have been, however, essen- 
tially workers among humanity and for humanity, teach- 
ing nothing beyond the attainment of humanity and seek- 
ing to alleviate its wrongs and distresses. It claims no 
Mahatmas nor does it relegate its initiates to the level of 
ground hogs, with invitations to bury themselves in caves 
and burrows in inaccessible mountain fastnesses. It bids 
them come into the cities, and work in the open. It 
teaches its members that cleanliness is next to godliness 
and does not recommend the state of the great unwashed 
as an aid to spirituality. 

Those familiar with the Landmarks of the Order will 
remember that our mediaeval fraters were bidden to go 
forth from country to country, making themselves known 
to each other by simple means. They were forbidden to 
adopt any style of dress distinct from that of the coun- 
try wherein they sojourned. They were noted histori- 
cally for their sociability, their adaptiveness to society 
in all its walks. In other words, they were men of the 
age, who lived and worked as such, each according to his 
ability, in the furtherance of the Magnum Opus; and 
the secret of the Philosopher's Stone, which has been 
with one accord credited to them, and to them alone, 
is proof that not by abnormal, but only by normal living, 
can a man or woman expect reasonably to arrive at the 
nearest approximate to perfection possible to human 
beings. 




MEDIUMSHIP 63 



CHAPTER FIVE 
PHYSICAL MEDIUMSHIP. 

NDER this heading we include that wide 
range of phenomena expresst thru Tele- 
kinesis, — the moving of solid objects 
with or without contact with the me- 
dium; Concussion — the so-called rap- 
pings, apparently directed upon furni- 
ture, walls, or parts of the person ; Visualization — or so- 
called "materialization" ; Levitation — the suspension of 
matter, animate and inanimate; and the wide range of 
unclassified phenomena — for instance, the handling of 
red-hot coals, lamp chimneys, immunity from serpent 
poison, etcetera — the laws regarding which are uncertain. 
These phases of phenomena are designated as physical 
inasmuch as they do not depend upon the cerebral pro- 
cesses of the medium, actuating thru the ordinary ave- 
nues of sense perception. They do in all cases, however, 
evince the presence of dynamic force apparently under 
the guidance of active intelligence. 

It has been ascertained beyond all matter of doubt that 
in every phase of phenomena cited above, the vitality of 
the medium is more or less exhausted, according to the 
extent or duration of the phenomena produced, and this 
exhaustion relates equally to the mental as well as to the 
physical state. 



64 A BRIEF CPU RS E IN 

The question which psychical science has as yet failec 
to answer is, whether or not the operating- or manifesting 
intelligences draw upon the medium's physical strengtl 
for the requisite force, and upon the medium's menta 
processes for the proper guidance of that force, o; 
whether some still unknown power or force is utilize( 
which, in its operation and functioning depletes the nat 
ural bodily forces of the psychic on account of tha 
psychic's hypersensitivity as contrasted with others wh( 
may be present. 

Rosicrucians have a totally different explanation, 01 
hypothesis if you will, based upon the correct knowledg< 
of the medium's vehicles of expression. 

It is held by the Brotherhood that in the productioi 
of such phenomena as we have under consideration, th< 
psychic who is untrained involuntarily lends his etheri* 
vehicle to the exploitation of the operating intelligences 
who use it as they will, often in the production of abso 
lutely unimportant results, and solely for the amusemen 
of the medium's friends, somewhat after the fashion o: 
an organ grinder who directs his trained monkey t< 
amuse his audience and then collect the desired nickel: 
and pennies. 

The trained psychic, on the contrary, on such occa- 
sions as the production of any given phase of physica 
phenomena appears to be desirable, consciously function; 
for the time within his etheric vehicle — all the time undei 
his sole and absolute control — for the purpose of manipu- 
lating the potentialities of the etheric plane or region tc 
the desired end. 

This may be illustrated by analogy. In functioning ir 
our ordinary physical vehicles, our intelligence enables uj 
thru our knowledge of some of Nature's laws, to produce 
the phenomena of heat, light, sound, cold, draughts, elec- 
tricity and magnetism. We do so purely by the apparenl 



MED IV M S H I P 65 

utilization of such conditions of Matter as come within 
our sphere of activity. Each of the conditions cited 
above is produced by transformation — another word for 
transmutation — of one kind of energy into another. Thus 
from the mineral, we produce by combustion or chemical 
energy, kinetic energy, in the form of gases, steam or 
otherwise. This again we can consciously transmute 
into mechanical energy, which again can be subdivided 
into multiple channels of mechanical energy or trans- 
muted into still higher and more potent forms of energy 
—BUT PASSING INTO THE REALM OF THE 
INVISIBLE — in the form of electricity and magnetism. 

And note here, that it is in the passing into the realm 
of the invisible that most of the more important phases 
of phenomena which we have come to utilize in daily life, 
are manifested, such as heat, light, and sound. 

We produce friction with a match, a stick of wood 
coated with sulphur, phosphorus and potassium. Flame 
appears. In a moment, by blowing or consumption of 
the factors of combustion, — it is gone. Flame always 
existed. It is to Rosicrucians one of the primordial ele- 
ments. Where was it before its visible manifestation? 
Whence came it ? Where did it disappear after the con- 
ditions for its manifestation were exhausted or elim- 
inated ? 

The answer is, in the etheric region, world, or plane. 
For it is a fact that all the phenomena manifested in the 
chemical world have their origin in the etheric world, and 
this is just as true of psychical phenomena which have to 
do with conditions of Matter, as with physical phenomena 
resulting from the same. 

Therefore we mav accept as the first LAW of PHYS- 
ICAL PHENOMENA, that any and all phenomena 
which depend for manifestation solely upon objective 
Matter, have their origin in the etheric world and are the 



66 A BRIEF COURSE IN 

results of the particular phase of activity existing in the 
Life, Light, Reflecting, and Chemical Ethers. 

And just as every homo has his etheric vehicle or body, 
which is therefore an etheric center in concentrated, or- 
ganized, controlled, and efficient form, isolated from the 
common strata of the etheric world and its waves, but 
not insulated from them, so the etheric center with its 
core, central station of power, or seed atom, becomes a 
highly developed power station, as we may say, from 
which the operations of transmuting the properties of the 
etheric waves into tangible, visible manifestation may be 
carried on. 

In the case of the untrained and possibly unconscious 
psychic, these manifestations are produced by the opera- 
tions of the astral spirits in utilizing the center of etheric 
force thus furnished by the homo psychic. 

We say "unconscious" psychics advisedly, for it is 
within the range of everyday acquaintance that many 
people who are totally unfamiliar with even the rudi- 
ments of knowledge concerning psychical phenomena, 
often describe the sound of rappings, knocks, etcetera, 
without knowing what they are, where they come from, 
and least of all, that they themselves are the means if 
not the cause of its production. 

But this process is somewhat like the idea of a man 
helping himself to another's bank account without the 
formality of asking permission for the accommodation, 
and then exhausting that account and awaiting the ac- 
cumulation of a new one. 

In the case of the trained psychic, however, he does not 
surrender his store of etheric or vital force to the manip- 
ulations of exterior entities, visible or invisible. Instead, 
he functions for the time in his etheric vehicle, directing, 
conserving and manipulating the forces of the etheric 
plane or world by the power of Will and the processes 



MEDIUMSHIP 67_ 

of thot, as readily as when functioning* in the physical 
world he manipulates the conditions there at his disposal 
thru the facilities offered by the physical organism in the 
production of whatsoever phenomena he desires. 

The only difference is that in one case he operates thru 
his physical organism, utilizing the means it has devel- 
oped ; in the other he operates in the etheric world by 
the power of concentrated will. 

In the case of those mediums who may be considered 
as either natural or developed but untrained, it is quite 
true that various phases of phenomena may be produced 
apparently at will, but it is simply where the medium wills 
a certain effect, and then becomes passive, thereby plac- 
ing himself, even tho unconsciously, at the disposal of 
those grades of spirit entities who take pleasure in assist- 
ing in such programs. 

The principal process in the production of all such 
phenomena as we have included under the title of this 
chapter is a process common to all. 

It is the process of effecting a proper mode of motion 
for the expression in tangible form of the desired end. 

The actuary of this mode of motion is will — Will, 
either of the operating entity in the case of the untrained 
medium, or of the psychic himself in the case of the 
trained seer. 

Each world, sphere, plane, or region, is governed by 
laws peculiar to itself. True, there are some laws which 
inhere in all alike, necessarily so to ensure the progress 
of evolutionary processes thru them all. But there are 
some laws which are operative in one sphere and inop- 
erative in others. 

Then again there are laws operative in some planes 
which are also operative in others but in modified form. 
Such a law, for instance, is that of gravitation. We 
have found in our study elsewhere that gravitation as we 



68 A BR1 E F C OU RS E IN 

understand it is necessary in the case of the returning 
ego in coming down thru the various planes, assimilat- 
ing the proper vehicle for functioning in each and finally 
forming the bell-shaped structure prior to actual incar- 
nation. 

Another law which is modified in the etheric worlds, 
is that of cohesion. Both these laws of gravitation and 
cohesion will be found in the later days of material 
science to be vastly different from the interpretation at 
present placed upon them. However, the way we under- 
stand them at present serves its lawful purpose and aids 
in accomplishing greater discoveries. 

The first operation of will, therefore, functioning in the 
etheric plane for the production of physical phenomena, 
under either of the conditions mentioned, is that of con- 
centration upon these two alleged laws. 

First the thot form is definitely formulated and con- 
creted. Next the will operates to rearrange the atoms 
of spirit substance in the etheric plane according to the 
form desired and the direction of force required. When 
this is accomplished, the very force of will exerted fur- 
nishes the initial stimulus to the etheric forces in the 
direction desired. 

It must not be supposed from the above that the forces 
of the etheric planes are ever in a static condition or 
state of rest. Very much to the contrary, they are seeth- 
ing continually, assuming spiral formations often seen 
by the developing clairvoyant, breaking and recombining 
under centripetal and centrifugal conditions, the proto- 
types of cosmic activity. 

But it is such a state that the power of will has to 
contend with. Will must direct this cosmic urge along 
the lines which will accomplish the desired result. And 
the proof of this lies in the observed fact that according 
to the will power of the psychic is the extent of phenom- 



MEDIUMSHIP 69 

enal result attained. It makes no difference in this par- 
ticular respect whether the medium be in sound health 
or depleted strength, the will is manifestly the dominant 
factor, altho it is also true that according- to the vitality 
(or etheric force) of the medium will be the duration and 
extent of the accomplished result. 

Some form of contact with the medium, either direct 
or indirect, is always desirable if permissible. Either the 
mediums hand or foot in contact permits of a greater 
degree of transmuting power. Sometimes the desired 
result is increased by contact with the medium thru some 
substance like a ruler, yard stick, or pole. Anything to 
serve as a conductor. But for evidential purposes, which 
is almost the only end such phenomena are ever called 
upon to serve, contact with the medium, either direct or 
indirect, prepares an easy way for suspicion, accusation 
of fraud, or even honest doubt and skepticism. 

Production of physical phenomena without contact 
w r ith the medium is vastly more conclusive for purposes 
of conviction but requires a longer period of time for the 
requisite development, longer period of concentration of 
will, and results less pronounced in their manifestations. 

Then, too, to secure the best results the proper state of 
mind so-called is required or at least desirable. This is 
especially true in the case of immunity from poison. It 
is a well-known fact that amongst the Indians, both east 
and west, snake worship still survives to a degree as a 
persistence of one of the oldest religions in the world. In 
the ceremonials incident to this worship, poisonous ser- 
pents are handled without drugging or other protection 
to the enthusiasts, in a manner to excite the reptiles to 
the utmost extent. In the orgies resultant, the priests 
and others offer their arms, legs, necks and bodies to 
these serpents, urging them to bite repeatedly, sinking 
their fangs into the flesh as deeply as possible. Yet in 



70 A BRI E F CPU RS E IN 

spite of all this, no harm results nor do they take pre- 
cautionary measures, and the sanitary condition of these 
peoples is at no time ideal and sepsis would seem to be 
most cordially invited. The Biblical incident of St. Paul 
picking up the fagots and being bitten by a poisonous 
serpent without harm and without protectionary treat- 
ment is another instance. In fact, the whole of history, 
secular and occult, teems with such examples until their 
authenticity has been established beyond doubt. 

Some scientists and writers have attempted to account 
for this immunity on the ground of the state of ecstasy 
bordering on frenzy which obsesses these religionists in 
their mystic rites, and which is supposed to accomplish 
the same result as the poison, so that the poison when 
received merely becomes a surfeit and is neutralized. 
This is not good logic, neither is it good science. 

The whole matter is one of will, total absence of fear, 
and complete confidence in one's powers of resistance to 
deleterious results and in one's ability to accomplish the 
result desired. Such a state of mind alone can accom- 
plish seeming miracles. 

As the Scriptures have again put it, "If ye have faith 
as a grain of mustard seed, ye can remove moun- 
tains" — and again, "these and greater things than these 
shall ye do, because I go unto my Father." 

Let us see what happens in the case of levitation, for 
instance, which may be also explanatory of practically 
all the phases of phenomena we have mentioned in this 
lesson. 

Students will probably recall the oft repeated account 
of the famous example of levitation witnessed by the late 
King Edward, when the noted medium D. D. Home, a 
man of exemplary piety, and who made no claim to un- 
derstand his wonderful powers, was lifted from his chair' 
in the audience room at the castle, the body straightened 



MEDIUMSHIP n 

out in a horizontal position, a window opened by invisible 
hands and the body taken out thru the upper half and 
brot into the room again thru the adjoining window. 
This is now a matter of history and has been verified by 
the most unimpeachable authorities. 

In this case the operating entities, with apparently the 
most laudable purpose in view, and with a medium of 
advanced attainments as the instrument, effected a result 
which has done incalculable good to the cause of esoteric 
science. 

In this particular instance the medium was entranced, 
but this does not alter the succeeding processes, and the 
trance was only for the purpose of rendering him easier 
of manipulation than had he been flexible and more or 
less unconsciously resistant in the normal state. 

First of all the power of will was exerted on the phys- 
ical organism to overcome the force of cohesion to a suf- 
ficient extent to allow greater permeation or interpene- 
trability of the etheric vehicle of the medium, and the 
etheric waves of all four varieties, chemical, life, light 
and reflecting. The effect of the greater influx of all 
four ethers into one common center, already a highly 
organized one, was to render that center less susceptible" 
to the force of gravitation than ordinarily. This latter 
force is not entirely overcome, for in none of the au- 
thentic instances of levitation is the object acted upon 
raised more than a matter of a few feet and usually a 
matter only of inches. 

In lessening the power of cohesion, thereby establish- 
ing a closer equilibrium between the physical and etheric 
bodies of the medium, the entire organism could be 
raised merely because by so raising it was in reality be- 
ing projected into the astral plane with the physical 
vehicle remaining visible in its own proper sphere but 
under extraordinary conditions. It was a very tangible 



72 A BRIEF CPU RSE IN 

illustration of the possibility of occupying two worlds at 
once — a demonstration of the Fourth Dimension of 
Space. 

In the etheric or any other part of the spiritual worlds 
the force of gravitation does not obtain in the same way 
as we understand it in the physical world. Therefore it 
is quite as easy for a body to fall upwards as downwards 
in the spiritual regions. Gravitation there becomes more 
a matter of equilibrium under the direction and impulse 
of will. 

With a body in equilibrio, between the two planes, act- 
ing under the dominance of will exerted on the spiritual 
plane where it is far stronger than on the physical plane, 
it is an easy matter, once the equilibrium has been estab- 
lished, to direct the further motions of the body, regard- 
less of place or other circumstances. Next the body is 
directed along the proper current in the etheric plane, 
selected much as an aviator selects the proper currents 
in our own atmosphere. The transit of this body may 
thus be effected in any manner desired. 

In the same general way, pictures may be moved as 
they hang upon the wall, small objects levitated and 
other phenomena produced, by overcoming the force of 
gravity, reducing the force of cohesion and concentrating 
the etheric forces in the desired direction. 

Rappings and knocks are not produced by the contact 
of spirit knuckles with objective matter. That would be 
absurd, and yet it is a common belief among spiritual- 
ists and those not familiar with the esoteric side of 
science. 

Rather, the cohesive power of the atoms of a substance 
at a given point is reduced, then the etheric force is 
directed against those atoms to produce a concussion 
which sets in motion resultant waves in our own atmo- 
sphere, producing the phenomenon of sound. Thus, for 



MEDIUMSHIP 73 

instance, it is quite possible to receive "knocks" on cloth, 
velvet, and plush, which objectively would seem to be 
soundless or incapable of being factors in producing 
sound. 

In regard to visualization or so-called materialization, 
this subject calls for extreme caution in its treatment. 
Generally speaking, the application of the laws and pro- 
cesses already cited will suffice for a surface explanation 
of this class of phenomena. 

Materialization is usually considered as the power of 
discarnate entities so to clothe themselves with a tem- 
porary envelope of matter as not only to appear, but to 
walk about a given room, shake hands and even embrace 
those whom they appear to recognize, receiving their em- 
braces in return. 

Many professing spiritualists and some others who 
have delved into the realm of the psychic to some extent, 
are thoroly convinced that they have actually taken the 
hand of a spirit friend, found it to be as solid and tangible 
as their own corporeal substance. Such would undoubt- 
edly deny any explanation to the contrary and would also 
vehemently contradict any statement that the phenomenon 
they had witnessed was at all questionable. Yet the un- 
deniable fact remains, that of all the psychics, so-called, 
who> have dealt with this class of phenomena, about 
ninety-nine per cent, of them have been exposed as 
frauds, notwithstanding that they may be able to produce 
genuine phenomena of other descriptions at other times. 

We will therefore make no direct statements regard- 
ing this class, other than to state that the Brotherhood 
holds such materialization, as is commonly accepted un- 
der that designation, to be impossible because illogical. 
We know that the Ego on its return for another life or 
incarnation occupies a period equivalent to sometimes a 
thousand or two of our years. In the case of little chil- 



74 A BRIEF CPU RSE IN 

dren who have passed over at an early age, even twenty 
to thirty years elapse before their second or next in- 
carnation. 

This time is necessary to the returning Ego, not only 
for the assimilation of the experience previously gained, 
but to gather to itself the requisite materials for the 
proper vehicles in which it is subsequently to function. 

That being the case, it is absurd to believe that a spirit 
which has not yet passed beyond the earth plane in the 
astral worlds, can in a few moments of time accumulate 
sufficient matter to itself to present its versimilitude to a 
credulous audience. And when we further know that a 
complete materialization outfit warranted to deceive the 
elect can be procured at a very slight cost, we should 
view with extreme caution and only under rigid test con- 
ditions any phenomena of this class presented for our 
consideration. 

What is possible, however, is visualization. This is the 
power of a discarnate entity on the astral plane to so 
direct the forces of the etheric region as to cohere suf- 
ficient astral matter to reflect light under proper con- 
ditions and thus become visible to an audience. This is 
probably what actually happens when any phenomenon 
that is really genuine occurs under the heading of ma- 
terialization. We can safely throw all sanctity attaching 
to such seances aside when a sturdy hand of father is 
presented to our grasp, and it is more than probable that 
a howl of pain from within the curtain used on such 
occasions will come from a shrill feminine voice. 

Walking on and handling red-hot coals is a class of 
phenomena that is undoubtedly genuine. These practices 
have been common to the oriental priests for ages, and 
Europeans have subjected them to every test, by camera, 



MEDIUMSHIP 75 

chemicals, etcetera, without finding" any exterior condi- 
tions utilized to protect the participants in their fiery- 
ordeal. 

Such phenomena are accomplished, as in the other cases, 
by functioning in the etheric body, placing it for the time 
being" in the ascendant. It also presents to Rosicrucians 
another interesting hypothesis, in view of the Rosicrucian 
doctrine concerning the elemental spirits of fire. It is 
well known that we can summon these elementals to our 
aid on many occasions, and by their assistance many phe- 
nomenal occurrences may take place within the realm to 
which those summoned properly belong. The Japanese, 
who make the worship and converse with the departed, a 
national belief and custom, are adepts in the manipula- 
tion of fire and have always claimed the power to co- 
operate with the elemental spirits of fire. 

Still another interesting range of phenomena is that of 
spirit writing and picture making. The writer has per- 
sonally seen a beautifully colored picture gradually ap- 
pear both on canvas and paper, in pastel and oil, under 
absolute test conditions. No chemicals were present, no 
masked outlines, even the medium occupied a separate 
room while the seance was being conducted. More than 
this, the picture that appeared was a portrait of one who 
had passed over many years, before the writer's birth, 
and no photo was seen by him until after the spirit pic- 
ture was produced. 

These operations are conducted by the transmission of 
the color properties in the etheric plane to the canvas 
or board, crystallizing them in the process of their tran- 
sition from the invisible world to the visible world. The 
portrait needed not to be the work of an artist, for all 
that was required of the manifesting spirit was to reflect 
the portrait of himself from the astral light to the screen, 
the colors becoming permanent after their transition. 



76 A B RI E F C OU RS E I N 

Spirit photography is accomplished much by the same 
means, only that in this case the spirit utilizes the photo- 
graphic negative for the purpose of manifesting, and 
allows the reflection of himself to be focalized thru the 
lens of the camera. 

Automatic writing is a very valuable phase, and is one 
that has contributed much to the knowledge of the astral 
worlds. It is accomplished by utilizing the arm of the 
psychic, without trance, altho the latter sometimes is 
utilized, as in the case of the well-known Mrs. Piper. It 
is more often accomplished by utilizing the etheric arm of 
the psychic until such a perfect rapport has been gained 
as to permit of the operation of the physical arm in obedi- 
ence to the prompting and motions of the etheric arm. 
This is a phase of phenomena which almost anyone can 
acquire, and if used properly will be valued highly. 

All that is necessary to develop automatic writing is 
to sit daily at a stated time for a period of from one-half 
to one hour with the writing arm relaxed and resting on 
paper on a table with pencil in position. 

At first unintelligible scrawls will develop, after the 
actual manifestations begin, which may be anywhere from 
one to two days to as many months. Soon, however, the 
writing will show unmistakable signs of a definite pur- 
pose and legibility will be forthcoming. It is a good plan 
for the writer (or automatist) to have the mind lightly 
set upon some absolutely extraneous subject so that no 
involuntary muscular movements of the automatist's own 
will be mistaken for psychic writing. 

Aside from the phases of phenomena mentioned herein, 
there are many others, such, for instance, as the mod- 
elling of clay objects as done by Palladino, who altho pro- 
claimed a fraud by incompetent critics who went thru 
the most childish antics in their so-called investigations, 



M EDIUMSHIP 77_ 

nevertheless was the instrument for the production of 
some of the most remarkable phenomena ever witnessed 
in America. 

Such alleged phenomena as trumpet communications, 
ringing of bells, tambourines, etcetera, are beneath our 
sober consideration, tho they will continue to furnish 
amusement to the credulous and gather in the shekels for 
their perpetrators. 

It may be taken as a pretty safe rule, that any sort of 
phenomena which requires material objects for its pro- 
duction, such as slates, bells, cabinets, etcetera, can be 
sidestepped without one's losing anything that might have 
been of value to him. This, of course, does not apply 
to automatic writing, where paper and pencil are neces- 
sary, but those articles alone are required. 

Phenomena in general are fast coming to be of less im- 
portance as human knowledge increases. Thruout all 
ages they have been used by those able to produce them, 
as the means of preying upon the superstition of those 
who did not understand, or of commanding their support, 
allegiance and following, thru fear. 

The work of the British Society for Psychical Re- 
search, and, to a very minor degree the work of the 
American Society for a similar purpose, has enriched our 
store of general information, well attested as to veracity 
and accuracy and general test conditions. It is not need- 
ful for those who seek, or who desire to know, to witness 
the production of psychical phenomena, interesting as 
they may be. 

Nearly all of the observed phenomena have been tab- 
ulated and to some extent the laws governing any par- 
ticular phase are beginning to be formulated. One can 
make greater advance, in a shorter time, by resorting to 
the well accredited reports in the Proceedings of both 



78 A B RI E F C OU RS E I N 

these Societies than by contributing to the support of the 
innumerable charlatans who operate under the name of 
mediums. 

All legitimate occultists such as the Theosophists and 
Vedantins take nearly the same attitude toward phenom- 
ena as does our own Brotherhood. Phenomena are to 
Philosophy as the illustrations to a book. We can often 
get much out of a book without illustrations, probably 
in the great majority of cases, but illustration alone sel- 
dom conveys any well-developed thot that will persist 
beyond the actual moment of observation. 

The researcher who desires to delve into phenomena 
has an interesting field ahead of him and if he can so 
delve and then let it alone he will be none the worse. 
But the temptation to give up everything else when once 
the taste and habit for phenomena have been acquired is 
almost overpowering, and one so giving into temptation 
seldom returns to the ranks of the thinkers who have 
succeeded in getting beyond. 

Like all perfectly good and legitimate things, phenom- 
ena have their place, and the one who desires to develop, 
and having acquired such development can thereafter 
keep his ability to produce phenomena under control, 
has gained a valuable acquisition. 

We have not attempted to bring into these chapters 
any information regarding the Psychic Centers of Man, 
the powers of the Solar Plexus and the rules for their 
development and ultimate unlocking. Such information 
belongs properly to the Esoteric Work of the Brother- 
hood and can be given only under properly established 
guidance. 

As a last word, we earnestly advise all sincere students 
to shun so-called "development circles." This advice is 
given from a long and thoro experience. If you must 
develop psychic powers, do so by yourself and you will 



MEDIUMSHIP 



79 



escape many dangerous pitfalls, both to your health and 
your mental equilibrium. Flowers and a good incense 
are helpful to all development work. Above all things, 
however, hold the quiet but steady determination that you 
remain master of yourself. You "may entertain angels 
unawares" but make sure that they are Angels of Light 
and your reward will be worth the time and effort 
expended. 




S^ssuredly, — at the Com- 
mencement of Things it 
was given to all to know 
alike the jVlysteries of the 
Kingdom. 

Howheit, in these latter 
days, few there he who, 
seeing, see; and hearing, 
hear; and understand the 
Unutterable jThings that 
encompass us. 



The books enumerated on this list 

are especially recommended by the 
Societas Rosicruciana in America. 

24031 Abridgement of Secret Doctrine. Hillard $2.00 

51385 Age of Reason, The. Thomas Paine 1.25 

51386 Age of Fable. Buljinch 1.25 

51384 Ancient Pagan and Modern Christian Symbolism. 

Inman 1.00 

50700 Apocalypse Unsealed, The. James Pryse 2.00 

50005 Astrology for All. Parti. Alan Leo 3.75 

50010 Astrology for All. Part 2. Alan Leo 3.75 

50298 Beyond the Borderline of Life. Gustavus Myers. 1.00 

50198 Book of the Dead. E. A. Wallis Budge 12.50 

51477 Brief Course in Mediumship. Khei. F.R.C.X. 1.00 

22161 Brother of Third Degree. Carver 1.35 

51313 Christianity as a Mystical Fact. Steiner 1.25 

50384 Comte de Gabalis. Abbe de Villars 2.50 

50152 Degrees of Zodiac Symbolised. Alan Leo 45 

50055 Directions and Directing. Alan Leo 45 

51352 Divine Pymander. Westcott 1.20 

50079 Esoteric Astrology. Alan Leo 3.75 

50080 Everybody's Astrology. Alan Leo 45 

50216 Faith of Ancient Egypt. Sidney Coryn 1.00 

24250 Fourth Dimension, The. Hinton 1.75 

50083 Fragments of a Faith Forgotten. G. R. S. Mead.. 4.00 



51314 Gates of Knowledge, The. Rudolf Steiner 1.25 

51383 Goetia, or Lesser Key of Solomon the King 1.00 

50721 Gospel of Buddha. Cams 1.00 

50091 Great Initiates, The. 2 vol. E. Schure 3.50 

24141 Great Religions of the World. H. A. Giles... 2.00 

50199 Growth of the Soul. A. P. Sinnett 1.75 

22721 Hermetic and Alchemical Writings of Paracelsus 

2 vols. Arth. Edw. Waite 12.50 

50120 Horary Astrology Alan Leo 45 

50125 Horoscope in Detail. Alan Leo 45 

50140 How to Judge a Nativity. Part 1. Alan Leo.. 3.75 

50145 " " " " " Part 2. " "... 3.75 

51225 Human Atmosphere, The. W. J Kilner, BA.M.B. 2.50 

51388 Idea of God, The. John Fiske 1.00 

22976 Initiation and Its Results. Rudolf Steiner 1.00 

22486 Inner Life, and the Tao Teh King, The. Bjerregaard 2.00 

23121 Kabbalah Unveiled, The. S. L. MacGregor Mathers 3.50 

50165 Key to Your Nativity. Alan Leo 3.75 

24162 Lao Tze- Simple Way. W. G. Old 1.00 

51387 Legends of Charlemagne. Bulfinch 1.25 

50139 Letters from a Living Dead Man. Elsa Barker.. 1.25 

24310 Magical Message of Ioannes, The. James Pryse 2.00 

50169 Master's Word, The. George W. Plummer 50 

50190 Medical Astrology. Daath 45 

50379 Mundane Astrology. Alan Leo 45 

50154 My Friends' Horoscopes. Alan Leo 45 

50334 Mysticism. Evelyn Underhill 3.50 

50183 Mysticism of Color. F. Bruce 1.35 

50343 Parsifal. Mary Hanford Ford 75 

50342 Parsifal. Oliver Huckel 75 

23816 Perfect Way, The. Kingsford and Maitland.... 1.50 



50220 Planetary Influences. Bessie Leo 45 

50225 Practical Astrology. Alan Leo 1.25 

50202 Primer of Higher Space. Claude Bragdon 1.00 

50240 Progressed Horoscope. Alan Leo 3.75 

50341 Psychology, Briefer Course. William James... 1.60 

50720 Reason Why in Astrology. Alan Leo 45 

23881 Rites and Mysteries of the Rosicrucians. Jennings 3.50 

51443 Rosicrucian Symbology. Khei. F.R.C.X° 1.50 

50204 Secret Doctrine in Israel. A. E. Waite 3.75 

24401 Signs & Symbols of Primordial Man. Churchward 8.00 

51337 Symbolic Teachings or Masonry & Its Message 

Thos. M. Steward 1.25 

50219 Symbolism & Astrology. Alan Leo 45 

24359 Tarot, of the Bohemians. Papus 2.50 

50153 Thousand and One Notable Nativities. Alan Leo. .45 

51389 Through Nature to God. John Fiske 1.00 

24364 Transcendental Magic. E. Levi 3.75 

50403 Triumphal Chariot of Antimony. Valentinus.... 1.75 

24276 Way of Initiation, The. Rudolf Steiner 1.00 

50402 Weather Predicting. Alan Leo 45 

50401 What do We Mean by Astrology. Alan Leo. .45 

50380 What is a Horoscope. Alan Leo 45 

50109 Within the Mind Maze. Edgar Lucien Larkin... 1.25 

50935 Your Forces & How to Use Them. C. D. Larson 1.50 

CLASS II. 

51377 Elementary Meteorology. Waldo 1.50 

51374 Elements of Geology. Blackwelder and Barrows 1.40 

51379 Elements of Logic. Hill 1.00 

51363 Essentials of Biology. Hunter 1.25 



51361 Essentials of Physics. Hoadley 1.25 

51360 General Physics. Ames 3.50 

51370 General Physiology and Anatomy. Eddy 1.20 

51357 General Science. Clark 80 

51376 High School Geography. Dryer 1.30 

51378 History of Philosophy. Hunter 35 

51371 Human Body and Health; Elementary. Davison .40 

51372 Intermediate. .50 

51373 " " " " Advanced. " .80 

51364 Laboratory Manual in Biology. Sharpe 75 

51358 Laboratory Manual in General Science. Clark .40 

51359 New Astronomy. Todd 1.30 

51366 New Manual of Botany. Gray 2.50 

51356 Outlines of Ancient History. Morey 1.50 

51369 Physiology. Halliburton 3.00 

51365 Plant Life and Plant Uses. Coulter 1.20 

51367 Practical Flora. Willis 1.50 

51368 Practical Zoology. Davison 1.00 

51362 School Chemistry. Avery 1.10 

51375 Text Book of Geology. Dana 1.40 




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